Improving Patient Outcomes in Gynecology: The Role of Large Data Registries and Big Data Analytics

Value-based care is quality health care delivered effectively and efficiently. Data registries were created to collect accurate information on patients with enough clinical information to allow for adequate risk adjustment of postoperative outcomes. Because most gynecologic procedures are elective and preference-sensitive, offering nonsurgical alternatives is an important quality measure. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), in conjunction with mandates from the Affordable Care Act, passed by Congress in 2010, has developed several initiatives centered on the concept of paying for quality care, and 1 of the first CMS initiatives began with instituting payment penalties for hospital-acquired conditions, such as catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections, and surgical site infections. Registries specific to gynecology include the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology registry established in 1996; the FIBROID registry established in 1999; the Pelvic Floor Disorders Registry established by the American Urogynecologic Society in conjunction with other societies (2014); and the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists Clinical Outcomes Registry. Data from these registries can be used to critically analyze practice patterns, find best practices, and enact meaningful changes in systems and workflow. The ultimate goal of data registries and clinical support tools derived from big data is to access accurate and meaningful data from electronic records without repetitive chart review or the need for direct data entry. The most efficient operating systems will include open-access computer codes that abstract data, in compliance with privacy regulations, in real-time to provide information about our patients, their outcomes, and the quality of care that we deliver.