title: Identification and collection of quality indicators for perinatal care.
abstract: We describe the development of a database of quality indicators and outcomes for perinatal care as part of a multi-institutional collaborative quality improvement project, Neonatal Intensive Care Quality 2002. Important principles of developing such a database are also discussed including eligibility criteria that identify high-risk patients without burdening data collectors, clinically important and well-defined measures, development of systems within each hospital to ensure identification of all eligible patients, use of data collectors with knowledge of perinatal care, appropriate design of paper and electronic data-collection tools, multiple pilot tests, and periodic feedback of data to participating hospitals.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Division, Medical University of South Carolina, Children's Hospital, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. suresh@musc.edu
authors.forename: Gautham K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Suresh
authors.forename: Linda A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.forename: Betty B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ohlinger
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prochnicki
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nicholas
authors.forename: Melinda B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chute
authors.forename: Lois
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sieber
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schriefer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018579:Patient Selection; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000592:standards*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care