Identification and collection of quality indicators for perinatal care.
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.
Suresh
Gautham K
GK
Neonatal Division, Medical University of South Carolina, Children's Hospital, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. suresh@musc.edu
Ferguson
Linda A
LA
Tomlinson
Mark
M
Campbell
Betty B
BB
Ohlinger
Judy
J
Prochnicki
Barbara
B
Nicholas
Susan
S
Warren
Melinda B
MB
Edwards
William
W
Chute
Lisa
L
Christian
Lois
L
Hagen
Erik
E
Sieber
Debbie
D
Schriefer
Janice
J
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018579:Patient Selection; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000592:standards*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care