PeraHealth's Rothman Index (RI) Outperforms Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), Detecting Patient Decline Earlier with Fewer False Positives

Peer-Reviewed Study Suggests Using the Rothman Index, Combining MEWS Measures with Previously Untapped EHR Data, for "Earlier" Warning Systems

PeraHealth Inc.'s Rothman Index outperforms the widely used Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) by detecting declining patient condition earlier, with significantly fewer false positives, according to a new peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.

The study, published in the January issue, demonstrated that the Rothman Index identified 54 percent more of the patients who ultimately died within 24 hours compared to MEWS. Moreover, the study found that the Rothman Index's composite measure of patient condition, automatically extracted from Electronic Health Records (EHRs), substantially reduced false positives, a common shortcoming of MEWS systems. MEWS is currently used in various forms by hospitals worldwide.

"A key advantage of the Rothman Index Score is its use of more than 50 measures, all calculated in real time from existing EHR data, with no manual inputs from busy hospital staff," said Stephanie Alexander, CEO of PeraHealth. MEWS uses four vital signs and one neurologic assessment that depend on periodic hand scoring by nurses and timely notification of physicians. "The Rothman Index Score takes the same measures used by MEWS and adds lab results, clinical assessments and additional vital signs, creating a new composite score that is clinically validated," continued Alexander.

The Rothman Index's superior performance and wider range of uses, including minute-by-minute recalculations when attached to sensors in Intensive Care Units, may "assist earlier detection of deterioration, providing a chance to avoid medical crises," the study said.

"This is the first peer-reviewed comparison of the Rothman Index with the early-warning systems typically used in hospitals," said Michael J. Rothman, Chief Science Officer of PeraHealth. "The Rothman Index enables clinicians to visualize changes in acuity by simple line graphs personalized to each patient at any point in time across the trajectory of care." Rothman co-developed the Rothman Index algorithm with his brother Steven after their mother died in 2003 from an undetected complication.

The study compared MEWS and Rothman Index scores computed for more than 32,000 patient visits at Abington (Pa.) Memorial Hospital, a 665-bed regional teaching hospital, from July 2009 through June 2010. It follows earlier peer-reviewed studies that validated the Rothman Index's effectiveness across all disease categories and across patient populations and in reducing costly hospital readmissions.

About PeraHealth Inc.

PeraHealth has spent 10 years building and validating the Rothman Index: a completely new model for predicting patient risk and visualizing patient condition across the continuum of care. Serving as the scientific engine of PeraTrend, the Index is protected by five patents and is squarely rooted in clinical and scientific rigor, with 10 peer-reviewed published journal articles validating its core methodology. The firm's vision: constantly strive to increase patient safety, transform the EHR into a true clinical decision support tool and support the continuum of care in a seamless fashion - all while continuing to expand the firm's scientific and clinical impact. Visit www.perahealth.com, and register for a complimentary webinar on PeraHealth's new product, PeraAnalytics, at 1 p.m. ET on January 15, 2014.

For more information, email Jonathan Fullerton at [e-mail].

PeraHealth Inc.
Jonathan Fullerton, 704-385-4675
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