A Handful of Data Collection Essentials
February 1, 1998 2 minutes read
A Handful of Data Collection Essentials
Yes, you must collect data and perform some kind of outcomes measurement to stay afloat in today’s medical marketplace. However, volume and value are two different animals when it comes to information, notes Sharon Sprenger, RRA, MPA, project manager in the Research and Evaluation Department of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations in Oakbrook Terrace, IL. In fact, she counsels, you’re better off avoiding volume in favor of data that address your needs. As a general rule, collect only information you can use to enhance the health of the women you serve. Here are Sprenger’s tips for generating valuable data collections:1. Decide what you want to measure, then see if relevant data are available. If not, says Sprenger, determine whether the benefits of additional data collection outweigh the cost.
2. Tailor your data gathering to your services. It would be wasted effort to ask patients if they suffer symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome if your center doesn’t offer physical therapy, for example.
3. Make sure each data unit you propose to capture meets this criterion: If we had these data, how would they help us improve our program?
4. Instead of collecting data because it "would be nice to know," investigate matters you can control. If you’re considering a new acupuncture service, it might be useful to ask patients how often they seek such therapy. Otherwise, skip the subject.
5. Pick a few measures and use them well. "Take care not to get so busy measuring that you have no time to interpret your data."
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