CTEs (Common Table Expressions)

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A Common Table Expression (CTE) is a temporary result set that you can reference within a SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statement. CTEs make complex queries more readable and organized.

Basic Syntax

WITH CTE_Name AS (
    SELECT ...
)
SELECT * FROM CTE_Name;

Why Use CTEs in Healthcare Analytics?

  • Improves query readability for complex logic
  • Helps break down multi-step calculations
  • Can be referenced multiple times in the same query

Healthcare Example:

WITH MemberRisk AS (
    SELECT 
        MemberID,
        AVG(RAF_Score) AS AvgRAF
    FROM Risk_Adjustment_Members
    WHERE Year = 2025
    GROUP BY MemberID
)
SELECT 
    m.MemberID,
    m.FullName,
    mr.AvgRAF
FROM Members m
JOIN MemberRisk mr ON m.MemberID = mr.MemberID
WHERE mr.AvgRAF > 1.5;

This CTE first calculates average RAF score per member, then joins it back to find high-risk members.

Key Takeaways

  • CTEs are defined with WITH and can be used like temporary tables
  • They improve code organization and are easier to debug
  • Very useful in healthcare reporting for multi-step risk adjustment and claims analysis
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