An Application of Social Network Analysis to Heart Failure Records and Comorbidities in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample

Heart failure is the costliest condition to treat in the United States. With the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services imposing a 3% penalty of reimbursement on any hospital that does not meet certain quality of care... [ view full abstract ]

Heart failure is the costliest condition to treat in the United States. With the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services imposing a 3% penalty of reimbursement on any hospital that does not meet certain quality of care measures for patients with heart failure, it is of interest for hospitals better understand the profile of a patient with heart failure, including the comorbidies that present with the condition. While medical literature examines the presentation of heart failure and its related comorbidities, this study adopts an abductive approach to the heart failure domain. We present social network analysis as a tool to understanding the connections of a heart failure diagnosis with comorbidies as a solution domain. Specifically, this study examines diagnoses of patients age 65 or older and presents the connections of diagnoses codes using social network analysis.