Comparative data
Our Case Mix Programme (CMP) and National Cardiac Arrest Audit (NCAA) are comparative outcome audits. Data are compared between sites (a critical care unit or hospital), giving an indication of one site’s performance against other similar sites.
To be able to do this effectively, we need all our sites to collect data consistently to the same rules and definitions.
Through data management, we enforce these rules and validate data to these definitions. This ensures the quality of the data before any analyses are produced.
How are data validated?
Data are validated on a number of levels:
- each individual event, e.g. a CMP admission or an NCAA Team visit, is checked for missing, unusual and invalid data;
- data for each site are checked for duplication and unusual patterns;
- each individual patient is checked for readmission to critical care (CMP) or re-visit by the cardiac arrest team (NCAA), ensuring data across these events are logical and consistent; and
- reliability testing ensures sites are collecting data consistently.
Meaningful data comparisons
These processes ensure sites are all collecting and validating data to the same rules, so we can make meaningful comparisons between them.How are new data quality issues identified?
Throughout all our processes, from audit staff reviewing validation to statisticians preparing analyses, we monitor for any additional data issues. When new data quality issues are identified, they are reviewed and if necessary new checks or procedures are introduced.ICNARC data management
Data management summarises data management across ICNARC as a whole.