Validating a transnational fracture treatment registry using a standardized method

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Health Services Research
• Data Management

Background:

• Establishing a transnational fracture registry requires rigorous data quality validation.
• The Baltic Fracture Competence Centre (BFCC) initiated a pilot phase and needed a robust data quality assessment method.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the data quality of the newly established BFCC transnational fracture registry.
• To apply a standardized method for assessing and improving registry data quality.

Main Methods:

• Literature research identified "adaptive monitoring" as a suitable method.
• A three-step audit process involved data quality scoring, source data verification, and feedback for improvement.
• Statistical methods and data visualization were developed for discrepancy analysis.

Main Results:

• Initial data quality was assessed as medium.
• Source data verification revealed missing registry items were also absent in source data.
• Adaptive monitoring led to an improved data quality score of "good"; suggestions were made to enhance accuracy.

Conclusions:

• Adaptive monitoring provides a robust guideline for systematically evaluating and monitoring registry data quality.
• Transparency in registry data quality is valuable for reporting, similar to major registries.
• Further application of this method in established registries is recommended due to its rarity.