Developing an Australian Melanoma Clinical Outcomes Registry (MelCOR): a protocol paper

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Australia has the highest global incidence of melanoma.
• Care for melanoma patients varies significantly among clinicians.
• Clinical quality registries are essential for identifying and addressing variations in care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the Australian Melanoma Clinical Outcomes Registry (MelCOR).
• To collect population-wide, clinical-level data for early cutaneous melanoma management.
• To provide anonymised, benchmarked feedback to healthcare providers to improve patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi process will identify key clinical quality indicators.
• MelCOR will prospectively collect data from patients aged over 18 in Victoria and Queensland with histopathologically confirmed melanoma.
• A two-stage recruitment process involves clinician opt-out and patient opt-in for data collection and patient-reported outcomes.

Main Results:

• The pilot phase will establish feasibility for data collection and feedback mechanisms.
• Data collected will focus on key quality indicators, with future expansion planned.
• Aggregated data will enable comparative feedback to institutions and clinicians.

Conclusions:

• MelCOR aims to standardize and improve the quality of melanoma care across Australia.
• Benchmarked feedback will support continuous quality improvement in melanoma management.
• The registry will provide annual reports to stakeholders and the public.