The Public Policy Committee Needs You! 

The good news:  APHA approved a revised position statement, “Improving external cause coding in hospital discharge data.” The even better news: This provides an opportunity for ICEHS members interested in policy or data issues to join in a wide array of collaborative efforts aimed at implementation of the recommendations.

The Public Policy Committee needs members of ICEHS to provide the infrastructure for the development and distribution of injury related policy initiatives. Our mission is to develop public positions on issues of relevance and benefit to members of ICEHS and advocate for their implementation as well as support relevant policy positions of other private organizations, public agencies or APHA sections.

In 2008, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) published an article on the “Recommended Strategies to Improve E-coding in State Based Hospital Discharge and Emergency Department Data Systems.” In addition to recent external cause coding position statements by APHA, CSTE, ASTHO, STIPDA and SAVIR, the MMWR article will be the catalyst to enhance and improve E-coding in the United States. E-coding rates have been essentially stagnant since the 1990’s. The article provides understanding of the role of E-Coding in injury prevention and discusses the need for high quality E-coded data for injury surveillance and prevention. It highlights efforts in a few states and makes three sets of recommendations:  (1) improving communication among stakeholders, (2) improving collections of E-codes, and (3) improving the usefulness of E-coded data for injury prevention efforts.

For 2008, the focus of the ICEHS Public Policy Committee will include:

1. Implementation of the recently approved APHA policy resolution on “Improving external cause coding in hospital discharge data”
2. Promotion of  awareness of the MMWR article devoted to external cause coding published in March, 2008
3. Development of an external cause coding campaign tool kit
4. Promotion of ICEHS membership participation in relevant APHA advocacy initiatives

According to Sue Gallagher, co-chair of the committee and a member of the Action Board of APHA, “This is the most important work in which the ICEHS section will engage to improve the quality of non-fatal injury data for both practitioners and researchers over the next five years.”

The committee needs at least five highly energetic and collaborative ICEHS members to carry out these tasks:

1. Participate in a monthly conference call
2. Identify 20 organizations and draft a letter for APHA to send them regarding joining us on promoting external cause coding
3. Conduct follow-up phone calls with each recipient of the letter
4. Identify key organizations responsible for hospital discharge data in each state and draft a letter for APHA to send them regarding promotion of external cause coding
5. In conjunction with STIPDA, ask each state injury program director to do a follow-up call or meeting
6. Develop three to five talking points relevant to external cause coding for dissemination at the national state and local levels
7. Develop a one page fact sheet with what ICEHS members can do at the local and state level to promote external cause coding
8. Revise the external cause code brochure “E-Codes – the Missing Link in Injury Prevention”
9. Solicit funds or voluntary support for printing and dissemination of campaign materials
10. Send campaign tool kit to all ICEHS members and identified national organizations

Members interested in pursuing this exciting push forward for injury prevention are asked to contact Co-Chairs:

Sue Gallagher (sue.gallagher@tufts.edu) or

Fred von Recklinghausen (Friedrich.M.von.Recklinghausen@Hitchcock.org)