Implementation of a multi-center digital trauma registry: Experience in district and central hospitals in Malawi

Trauma is a rapidly growing component of the burden of disease in developing countries; yet systematic data collection about trauma in such contexts is relatively rare.

This paper describes the implementation of a trauma registry in 10 government-run hospitals in Malawi, with a focus on implementation logistics, stakeholder engagement strategies, and data quality procedures.

51 337 trauma cases were recorded over the first 14 months of registry operations. The number of cases per month, data accuracy, and the geographic coverage of the registry improved over time as data quality measures were implemented.

Multi-center digital trauma registries are feasible in low-resource settings. Stakeholder engagement, periodic in-person and frequent digital follow up with data teams, and regular channeling of findings back to data collection teams help to improve data quality and completeness over a 14 month period. Financial and staffing constraints remain challenges for sustainability over time, but this experience demonstrates the feasibility of large-scale registry operations.