Behind the Study: Validating Electronic Frailty Index in National Health System

Dr. Fabienne Hershkowitz Sikron from the Meuhedet Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) in Tel-Aviv, discusses a #research paper she co-authored that was #published in Volume 16, Issue 20 of Aging, entitled “Development and validation of an electronic frailty index in a national health maintenance organization.” DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206141 Corresponding Author - Fabienne Hershkowitz Sikron - fabian_hershkowitz@meuhedet.co.il Video interview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc9_ByZ1_ew Video transcription - https://www.aging-us.com/interviews/validating-electronic-frailty-index-in-national-health-system Abstract Background: Frailty constitutes a major factor that puts the elderly at risk of health and functional deterioration. Objectives: To develop and validate an Electronic Frailty Index based on electronic data routinely collected in the HMO. Study design and setting: A retrospective cohort of the HMO members. Participants: 120,986 patients, aged 65 years and over at the beginning of 2023. Predictors: A cumulative frailty index including 36 medical, functional, and social deficits. Outcomes: One-year all-cause mortality or hospitalization. Statistical analysis: One-year hazard ratios were estimated for composite outcome of mortality or hospitalization using multivariable hierarchical Cox regression. Results: The mean EFI score increased with the Social Security Nursing Benefit. Compared to fit patients, mild, moderate, and severe frailty patients had 2.07, 3.35, and 4.4-fold increased risks of mortality or hospitalization, after controlling for covariates. Conclusions: The findings showed that the Electronic Frailty Index version we created is valid in predicting mortality or hospitalization. In addition, the Electronic Frailty Index converged with an independent measurement produced by National Social Security. Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.206141 Subscribe for free publication alerts from Aging - https://www.aging-us.com/subscribe-to-toc-alerts Keywords - aging, frailty, older people, electronic frailty index, electronic health record, health maintenance organization About Aging-US The mission of the journal is to understand the mechanisms surrounding aging and age-related diseases, including cancer as the main cause of death in the modern aged population. The journal aims to promote 1) treatment of age-related diseases by slowing down aging, 2) validation of anti-aging drugs by treating age-related diseases, and 3) prevention of cancer by inhibiting aging. (Cancer and COVID-19 are age-related diseases.) Please visit our website at https://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ X - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@AgingJournal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1X4HQQgegjReaf6Mozn6Mc MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM