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Data quality predicts care quality: findings from a national clinical audit
- Source :
- Arthritis Research & Therapy, Vol 22, Iss 1, Pp 1-8 (2020), Arthritis Research & Therapy
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2020.
-
Abstract
- Background Missing clinical outcome data are a common occurrence in longitudinal studies. Data quality in clinical audit is a particular cause for concern. The relationship between departmental levels of missing clinical outcome data and care quality is not known. We hypothesise that completeness of key outcome data in a national audit predicts departmental performance. Methods The National Clinical Audit for Rheumatoid and Early Inflammatory Arthritis (NCAREIA) collected data on care of patients with suspected rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from early 2014 to late 2015. This observational cohort study collected data on patient demographics, departmental variables, service quality measures including time to treatment, and the key RA clinical outcome measure, disease activity at baseline, and 3 months follow-up. A mixed effects model was conducted to identify departments with high/low proportions of missing baseline disease activity data with the results plotted on a caterpillar graph. A mixed effects model was conducted to assess if missing baseline disease activity predicted prompt treatment. Results Six thousand two hundred five patients with complete treatment time data and a diagnosis of RA were recruited from 136 departments. 34.3% had missing disease activity at baseline. Mixed effects modelling identified 13 departments with high levels of missing disease activity, with a cluster observed in the Northwest of England. Missing baseline disease activity was associated with not commencing treatment promptly in an adjusted mix effects model, odds ratio 0.50 (95% CI 0.41 to 0.61, p Conclusions We have shown that poor engagement in a national audit program correlates with the quality of care provided. Our findings support the use of data completeness as an additional service quality indicator.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Clinical audit
medicine.medical_specialty
lcsh:Diseases of the musculoskeletal system
Missing data
Arthritis, Rheumatoid
Cohort Studies
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
National clinical audit
Internal medicine
medicine
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Rheumatoid arthritis
Aged
Quality of Health Care
030203 arthritis & rheumatology
Medical Audit
Wales
business.industry
Methodology
Odds ratio
Early Inflammatory Arthritis
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
Rheumatology
Data Accuracy
Observational Studies as Topic
England
Antirheumatic Agents
Data quality
Emergency medicine
Female
Care quality
lcsh:RC925-935
business
Research Article
Cohort study
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14786362
- Volume :
- 22
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Arthritis Research & Therapy
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....e0337aa0def13689cb47cfbffeed0c28