Management information failings and future requirements for dental commissioning groups.
OBJECTIVE
To examine existing secondary care management information systems for dental specialities, and to determine their completeness and suitability for supporting effective primary care led purchasing decisions.


METHODS
An observational cross-sectional study of current information systems in selected secondary care provider units and the applicability of their data for contracting dental services. A comparative study of two information systems in two settings (primary and secondary care) and the utility of the data gathered for contracting for dental services.


METHODS
Secondary care activity data was sought from the key secondary dental care providers (hospitals) in two dental total purchasing localities. Referral data were also collected directly from general dental practitioners.


METHODS
The integrity, quality and accuracy of current secondary care activity data in dental specialities, in comparison to data supplied from primary dental care.


RESULTS
The secondary care activity data was found to be incomplete, inadequate and inaccurate. It was found that due to data retrieval insufficiency, indicative budgets for secondary providers may be reduced to less than half of their actual entitlement. The data inflated individual dental outpatient attendance by 3.3 times between 1995/6 and by 2.5 times between 1996/7.


CONCLUSIONS
Existing management information systems within secondary care providers are not structured in a way which will adequately inform future commissioning by the dental profession. Communication between primary and secondary care must be increased and data inputting methods in secondary care provider units must be substantially improved.
Department of Oral Health and Development, University Dental Hospital of Manchester.
N M
NM
Jessop
E J
EJ
Kay
A C
AC
Mellor
J G
JG
Whittle
A
A
Jenner
D002017:Budgets; D003149:Community Dentistry / Q000191:economics; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000191:economics*; D017754:Group Purchasing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006285:Health Planning / Q000191:economics; D006751:Hospital Information Systems / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D019451:Information Management / Q000592:standards*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013218:State Dentistry / Q000191:economics*; D006113:United Kingdom