Results from the Australasian Vascular Surgical Audit: the inaugural year

The Australian and New Zealand Society for Vascular Surgery has incorporated a constitutional change to administer a self-funded compulsory vascular surgery audit since January 2010. This is a bi-national quality assurance activity that captures all procedures performed in both countries. Data is collected at two points in the clinical admission; at operation and at discharge and data entry is via the Internet. Security is stringent and confidentiality is guaranteed by Commonwealth privilege. Data privacy is maximized by encryption. The application is flexible and administered by a dedicated administrator with a help-desk facility. Reports are available to provide real-time feedback of user performance compared with the peer group data in key categories of arterial surgery. A structured hierarchy for data management has been established to assess four main categories of performance: mortality after aortic surgery, stroke and death after carotid surgery, patency and limb salvage after infrainguinal bypass and patency after arteriovenous access for haemodialysis. Data is analysed using risk-adjustment techniques and an algorithm for management of underperformance has been followed. Data validation has been performed. The outcomes in all categories have been of a high standard and correction of erroneous data in a single statistical outlier has negated underperformance. The audit has captured only 65% of the estimated procedures in Australia in the first year, but data quality is good. The feasibility of a complete compulsory bi-national audit has now been established and will be the benchmark for other craft groups in the current environment of accountability.