Intro to CCS for ICD-10

The Clinical Classifications Software (CCS) for ICD-10 is a diagnosis categorization scheme that can be employed in many types of projects analyzing data on diagnoses. This tool is based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), a uniform and standardized coding system, which has been used in the U.S. for mortality reporting since 1999. The ICD-10's multitude of codes – more than 32,000 diagnosis codes in all – are collapsed into a smaller number of clinically meaningful categories (only 260 types) that are sometimes more useful for presenting descriptive statistics than are individual ICD-10-CM codes. 

CCS ICD-10 categories can be employed in many types of projects analyzing data on diagnoses. For example, they can be used to:

• Identify populations for disease-specific studies
• Gain a better understanding of the distribution of certain conditions across disease groupings
• Examine trends in mortality by broad diagnosis groupings.

Useful links:

Clinical Classifications Software (CCS) for ICD-10

History of CCS

Appendix A - Clinical Classification Software-DIAGNOSES


An NBER Paper:
Is the Foreclosure Crisis Making Us Sick?

Links: 8/29/2011

China vs. America: Which Is the Developing Country? -- From new roads to wise leadership, sound financials and 5-year plans, China has a winning approach. BY ROBERT J. HERBOLD,  From: Wall Street Journal 这位罗伯特是微软的前首席COO，是不是商人做久了就跟当官久了一样？尽信表面不如不信。文章sounds true, but funny and ironical. 

"当医生不知道一个检查、一片药丸要多少钱的时候，医改就成功了。至于民众是否看得起病，那就是保障体系建设的问题了。"某L厅长说。--------这个命题，很显然，是非常错误的，医生能有效掌控卫生系统80%的卫生费用（有US的实证依据），你怎么能指望他们不管成本？还有最重要的证据是英国正在进行的医改--成立全科医师联盟，并撤销原有的NHS信托机构（卫生费用的守门人，原来是由他们和医生打交道并付费），将其掌握病人费用的权力交给全科医生，这也重重的抽了这位自以为是不学无术的厅长大人一记耳光。

we need to always remember that data and statistical tests never prove a theory. Typically, many different theories can explain almost any observed phenomenon. Data  allows us only to reject a theory. The theories that survive are those that haven't been rejected yet, and that's a good reason for humility.  ---The Role of Economics in an Imperfect World, by Edward Glaeser

Links: 8/25/2011

US physicians urge end to unnecessary stent operations, 冠心病支架手术的滥用已经将许多本来病情稳定的患者置于并发症风险之下，2008年有个美国Maryland州的医生Mark Midei因为一天做了30例支架手术被吊销医师执照，医生跟制售垃圾食品的supplier真是没啥区别。

罗切斯特的经济学教授Steven E. Landsburg写道：如果你不能改变一个人的消费，你就不可能对这个人收税，即便你把他银行里的钱都拿走也不行。郭凯：steven不过是说税收负担最终未必落在那个交税的人头上。我想起这大概就是所谓的"富人税（奢侈品税啊，房屋买卖课税啊~~~list~）"为什么总是伤害穷人的理论。

In this stupid country, we have enough physician, sufficient pharmacuticals and devices, but we don't have ownership, so the health system is a mess. It is growing, but it can not be evolving, re-organizing, or even moving. The system is learning, yet without development. All of these resulted from the idea that no one knows who owns it.  租值消散（dissipation of rent）或租值耗散理论(The Theory of Rent Dissipation)在国内译作"租值耗散"，又称"租耗"。 -- 公地的悲剧，产权的经济学。

Guideline of Mixed-method research

Question: How to produce a better research with mixed-method combining quantitative and qualitative approach? 

NIH release best practices about it. --- NEWS,    STEPS&FRAMEWORK

[zt] Aid.vs.Trade

美欧的aid不能转变非洲社会，但是中非的贸易trade却能塑造shape一个新的非洲。en ~~ maybe a new idea 

But aid from the outside cannot transform whole societies, whole countries.  That can only come about through producing things and trading them or doing something someone else wants to pay for.  Ironically, it is the capitalist West that still sees Africa as a continent that needs aid, while Communist and former Socialist governments like China and India see it as a business opportunity.

• Richard Dowden, Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles. 

Source: http://healthcare-economist.com/2011/08/19/do-capitalists-or-communists-promote-aid-to-africa/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HealthcareEconomist+%28Healthcare+Economist%29