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Table 2 Patient-provider encounter characteristics

From: Following the money: copy-paste of lifestyle counseling documentation and provider billing

Variable

Value

Total encounters, n

155,168

Encounters with patients on insulin, n (%)

56,253 (36.3)

Most recent hemoglobin A1C, %

8.5 (1.6)

Hemoglobin A1C imputed, n (%)

28,791 (18.6)

Most recent LDL cholesterol, mg/dL

96.5 (32.1)

LDL imputed, n (%)

72,914 (47.0)

SBP, mm Hg

130.3 (17.4)

DBP, mmHg

74.3 (10.8)

BP imputed, n (%)

14,840 (9.6)

Most recent BMI, kg/m2*

32.9 (6.6)

BMI imputed, n (%)

15,072 (9.7)

Acute complaints, n (%)

52,203 (33.6)

Total active medications

8.2 (5.0)

Medications processed during the encounter

1.8 (2.5)

Anti-hyperglycemic medication intensification, n (%)

20,586 (13.3)

Note length, 1000s of characters

2.9 (2.2)

Lifestyle counseling, n (%)

 

   Distinct

88,970 (57.3)

   Copied

12,527 (8.1)

   None

53,671 (34.6)

Visit category, n (%)

 

   Physical

4,863 (3.1)

   Follow-up

150, 305 (96.9)

Documentation of time spent, n (%)

 

   Counseling

3,406 (2.2)

   Coordination of care

245 (0.2)

   Other

3361 (2.2)

   None

148,156 (95.5)

Billing level, n (%)

 

   1

4062 (2.6)

   2

5151 (3.3)

   3

54,304 (35.0)

   4

79,258 (51.1)

   5

12,393 (8.0)

  1. Data are mean (SD), unless otherwise indicated.
  2. *Recorded closest in time to encounter.
  3. †Most recent measurement taken within 6 months prior to the encounter.