[Databases for surgical specialists in Cancún, Quintana Roo].
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to identify the level of knowledge of surgical health-area specialists in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico, from the personal productivity database.


METHODS
We carried out an investigation of 37 surgical specialists: 24 belonged to the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), while 13 belonged to the Mexican Health Secretariat (SSA).


RESULTS
In our research, we found that 61% of surgical health-area specialist physicians were familiar with some aspects of the institutional surgical registry, including the following: 54% knew of the existence of a personal registry of surgeries carried out, and 43% keep a record of their personal activities. From the latter percentage, 69% of surgical health-area specialist physicians mentioned keeping their records manually, while 44% used the computer. Results of the research suggest that these physicians would like to have some kind of record of the surgeries carried out by each.


CONCLUSIONS
An important percentage of these specialists do not keep a personal record on a database; due to this lack of knowledge, we obtain incorrect information in institutional records of the reality of what is actually done. We consider it important to inform surgical specialists concerning the existence of personal institutional records in database form or even of record done manually, as well as correct terminology for the International Codification (CIE-9 & 10). We inform here of the need to encourage a culture in records and databases in the formative stage of surgeon specialists.
Jefatura de Educación e Investigación en Salud del la Unidad de Medicina Familar 13, IMSS, Cancún, Quintana Roo. contlahj@amcg.org.mx
Jorge Eduardo
JE
Contla-Hosking
Zoila Inés
ZI
Ceballos-Martínez
Mónica Esther
ME
Peralta-Bahena
D019992:Databases as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D010820:Physicians; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires