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BMC Emergency Medicine
Published in: BMC Emergency Medicine 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Triage | Research

Data quality assessment in emergency medical services: an objective approach

Authors: Mehrnaz Mashoufi, Haleh Ayatollahi, Davoud Khorasani-Zavareh, Tahere Talebi Azad Boni

Published in: BMC Emergency Medicine | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Background

In emergency medical services, high quality data are of great importance for patient care. Due to the unique nature of this type of services, the purpose of this study was to assess data quality in emergency medical services using an objective approach.

Methods

This was a retrospective quantitative study conducted in 2019. The research sample included the emergency medical records of patients who referred to three emergency departments by the pre-hospital emergency care services (n = 384). Initially a checklist was designed based on the data elements of the triage form, pre-hospital emergency care form, and emergency medical records. Then, data completeness, accuracy and timeliness were assessed.

Results

Data completeness in the triage form, pre-hospital emergency care form, and emergency medical records was 52.3%, 70% and 57.3%, respectively. Regarding data accuracy, most of the data elements were consistent. Measuring data timeliness showed that in some cases, paper-based ordering and computer-based data entry was not sequential.

Conclusion

Data quality in emergency medical services was not satisfactory and there were some weaknesses in the documentation processes. The results of this study can inform the clinical and administrative staff to pay more attentions to these weaknesses and plan for data quality improvement.
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Metadata
Title
Data quality assessment in emergency medical services: an objective approach
Authors
Mehrnaz Mashoufi
Haleh Ayatollahi
Davoud Khorasani-Zavareh
Tahere Talebi Azad Boni
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keywords
Triage
Care
Published in
BMC Emergency Medicine / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1471-227X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12873-023-00781-2

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