Quality indicators falls and pressure injuries – measurement with routine data

On behalf of ANQ, BUAS is investigating whether and how the data available in the electronic documentation systems of hospitals can be made usable for national nursing quality measurements.

Factsheet

  • Schools involved School of Health Professions
  • Institute(s) Nursing
  • Research unit(s) Innovation in the Field of Quality in the Health Sector
  • Funding organisation Others
  • Duration (planned) 01.06.2023 - 31.12.2026
  • Head of project Dr. Silvia Thomann
    Niklaus Stefan Bernet
  • Project staff Caroline Gurtner-Zürcher
    Karin Thomas
    Leonie Roos
  • Partner ANQ Nationaler Verein für Qualitätsentwicklung in Spitälern und Kliniken
    SUPSI - Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana
  • Keywords Nursing, Quality, Routine data

Situation

National quality measurements are an important instrument for quality assurance and development. With regard to nursing quality in Swiss hospitals, BUAS carried out the prevalence measurement of falls and pressure injuries from 2011 to 2022 on behalf of ANQ (National Association for Quality Development in Hospitals and Clinics). The "Gold Standard" for data collection was used for this measurement. This means that nurses recorded the occurrence of falls and pressure injuries directly at the patient's bedside. This approach ensured a uniform data basis (interoperability) across the hospitals and complete data sets for each measurement. However, this methodological approach for data collection also required a high level of human resources on the part of the hospitals. Due to the digitalisation of hospital-internal documentation systems, clinical data is now increasingly available electronically. In an initial feasibility analysis (see project Vis(q)ual Data), BUAS investigated the potential of clinical routine data for national quality measurements with the support of ANQ. Based on the potential identified, ANQ commissioned BUAS to proceed with this project and to develop a method for quality measurement (QM) of the indicators falls and pressure injuries in adult inpatient acute somatic care using data from the hospital information system (clinical routine data).

Course of action

The development of a method for quality measurement (QM) of the indicators of falls and pressure injuries based on clinical routine data comprises the following key components: - Operationalisation of the required clinical routine data - Clarification of data protection issues - Conception of a technical solution - Piloting and further development Based on the findings obtained, decisions on the continuation and further development of the project will be made regularly together with ANQ on the basis of defined milestones.

This project contributes to the following SDGs

  • 3: Good health and well-being