Data Collection Effort

For the criteria data availability and collection effort, it is reasonable to provide a common information base and then use it for the assessment of both aspects.

If information is not available through administrative or clinical routine data, one can revert to additional data collection which may initially consume more resources. However, it should be considered whether a modification of routine data, for example a supplementation or differentiation of a diagnostic or procedural code (ICD-10 or procedural codes) may be a less elaborate way of obtaining the information. For this change, an application would have to be filed, e.g. in Germany at the German Institute of Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI). This collection and registration should be integrated as best as possible into the existing processes and documentation systems.

This criterion is frequently quoted in the literature. In the setting of limited personnel and time resources, the collection effort must be minimized.

The application of this criterion is especially meaningful in a prospective assessment (new or further development) of quality indicators, since an optimization of the collection effort can in principle be directed only towards the future.

Definition
There is no data collection method available, which provides at least equal results with lesser effort.

Core Statement
The following statement is assessed: “There is no data collection method available, which provides at least equal results with lesser effort.”

Information Base for the Assessment
For the assessment of the core statement, all data that are utilized are listed for the calculation of the quality indicator. It is reasonable to make a distinction into administrative routine data, which are available without additional effort, clinical routine data (which are available without additional effort in the case of software-supported medical documentation), and data, which have to be collected specifically for the purpose of quality assurance and always require additional effort (see table 4.

Table 4: Availability, collection and registration efforts differentiated according to the kind of data

Assessment Process
After all evaluators have acknowledged and understood the information base, they assess the core statement. For clinical routine data, and, in particular for data specifically for performance measurement, it has to be considered whether they can be collected in a less labour-intensive way.

A detailed process description can be found in Appendix 2.

Assessment Stages
Applies
Does not apply
Abstention