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Management information failings and future requirements for dental commissioning groups.
N M Jessop1, E J Kay, A C Mellor
1Department of Oral Health and Development, University Dental Hospital of Manchester.
British Dental Journal
|March 10, 2001
Summary
Secondary care dental data systems are incomplete and inaccurate, hindering primary care purchasing decisions. Improvements in data collection and communication are essential for effective dental service commissioning.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Dental Public Health
- Health Informatics
Background:
- Effective purchasing of dental services relies on accurate management information systems.
- Current secondary care systems for dental specialties may not adequately support primary care commissioning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the completeness and suitability of secondary care management information systems for dental specialties.
- To assess the data's utility for primary care-led purchasing decisions in dentistry.
Main Methods:
- Observational cross-sectional study of secondary care information systems.
- Comparative analysis of data integrity between primary and secondary dental care settings.
- Collection of secondary care activity data and general dental practitioner referrals.
Main Results:
- Secondary care dental activity data were found to be incomplete, inadequate, and inaccurate.
- Data inaccuracies led to significant inflation of dental outpatient attendance figures.
- Indicative budgets for secondary providers could be substantially underestimated due to data insufficiency.
Conclusions:
- Existing secondary care management information systems are unsuitable for informing dental commissioning.
- Enhanced communication between primary and secondary care is crucial.
- Substantial improvements are needed in data inputting methods within secondary care dental units.