[Quality of recorded data used for external quality assessment of proximal femoral neck fractures].
OBJECTIVE
Fracture of the proximal femur is a frequent injury, especially in elderly people, with considerable subsequent risks. For this reason its treatment is an obligatory part of external quality assessment. The results are affected by the quality of documentation and validity of the data. The aim of this study was to systematically analyse recorded data on the treatment of this fractures for the purpose of external quality assessment at a trauma surgery ward at the University Hospitals Giessen and Marburg, located at Marburg in 2005.


METHODS
Independently controlled data were used to analyse and compare the quality of the recorded data, both descriptively and statistically.


RESULTS
13.5% of recorded cases did not match inclusion criteria. There were high error rates in the documentation of delay of operation (39%), the scoring system of the American Society of Anesthesiology (60%) and general medical complications (30%).


CONCLUSIONS
Seen from the viewpoint of data quality several improvements will be necessary in support of the surgeons who are obliged to record data for external quality assessment. Otherwise such assessment will be quite inaccurate.
Mann
D
D
Klinik für Unfall-, Wiederherstellungs- und Handchirurgie der Philipps-Universität Marburg. mannd@med.uni-marburg.de
Schnabel
M
M
Schunk
T
T
D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000592:standards*; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011786:Quality Control