Factors impacting clinical data and documentation quality in Australian aged care and disability services: a user-centred perspective
Abstract Background Research has highlighted a need to improve the quality of clinical documentation and data within aged care and disability services in Australia to support improved regulatory reporting and ensure quality and safety of services. However, the specific causes of data quality issues...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2024-04-01
|
| Series: | BMC Geriatrics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-04899-1 |
| _version_ | 1797209052287074304 |
|---|---|
| author | Gap Tshering Lakkhina Troeung Rebecca Walton Angelita Martini |
| author_facet | Gap Tshering Lakkhina Troeung Rebecca Walton Angelita Martini |
| author_sort | Gap Tshering |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Research has highlighted a need to improve the quality of clinical documentation and data within aged care and disability services in Australia to support improved regulatory reporting and ensure quality and safety of services. However, the specific causes of data quality issues within aged care and disability services and solutions for optimisation are not well understood. Objectives This study explored aged care and disability workforce (referred to as ‘data-users’) experiences and perceived root causes of clinical data quality issues at a large aged care and disability services provider in Western Australia, to inform optimisation solutions. Methods A purposive sample of n = 135 aged care and disability staff (including community-based and residential-based) in clinical, care, administrative and/or management roles participated in semi-structured interviews and web-based surveys. Data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis method, where themes and subthemes were derived. Results Eight overarching causes of data and documentation quality issues were identified: (1) staff-related challenges, (2) education and training, (3) external barriers, (4) operational guidelines and procedures, (5) organisational practices and culture, (6) technological infrastructure, (7) systems design limitations, and (8) systems configuration-related challenges. Conclusion The quality of clinical data and documentation within aged care and disability services is influenced by a complex interplay of internal and external factors. Coordinated and collaborative effort is required between service providers and the wider sector to identify behavioural and technical optimisation solutions to support safe and high-quality care and improved regulatory reporting. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T09:48:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-426819513b8a4817ac98d30d7bb5642a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2318 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T09:48:34Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Geriatrics |
| spelling | doaj.art-426819513b8a4817ac98d30d7bb5642a2024-04-14T11:28:43ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182024-04-0124111310.1186/s12877-024-04899-1Factors impacting clinical data and documentation quality in Australian aged care and disability services: a user-centred perspectiveGap Tshering0Lakkhina Troeung1Rebecca Walton2Angelita Martini3Brightwater Research Centre, Brightwater Care GroupBrightwater Research Centre, Brightwater Care GroupBrightwater Research Centre, Brightwater Care GroupBrightwater Research Centre, Brightwater Care GroupAbstract Background Research has highlighted a need to improve the quality of clinical documentation and data within aged care and disability services in Australia to support improved regulatory reporting and ensure quality and safety of services. However, the specific causes of data quality issues within aged care and disability services and solutions for optimisation are not well understood. Objectives This study explored aged care and disability workforce (referred to as ‘data-users’) experiences and perceived root causes of clinical data quality issues at a large aged care and disability services provider in Western Australia, to inform optimisation solutions. Methods A purposive sample of n = 135 aged care and disability staff (including community-based and residential-based) in clinical, care, administrative and/or management roles participated in semi-structured interviews and web-based surveys. Data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis method, where themes and subthemes were derived. Results Eight overarching causes of data and documentation quality issues were identified: (1) staff-related challenges, (2) education and training, (3) external barriers, (4) operational guidelines and procedures, (5) organisational practices and culture, (6) technological infrastructure, (7) systems design limitations, and (8) systems configuration-related challenges. Conclusion The quality of clinical data and documentation within aged care and disability services is influenced by a complex interplay of internal and external factors. Coordinated and collaborative effort is required between service providers and the wider sector to identify behavioural and technical optimisation solutions to support safe and high-quality care and improved regulatory reporting.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-04899-1Health information systemData qualityAged careDisabilityRoot cause analysisThematic analysis |
| spellingShingle | Gap Tshering Lakkhina Troeung Rebecca Walton Angelita Martini Factors impacting clinical data and documentation quality in Australian aged care and disability services: a user-centred perspective BMC Geriatrics Health information system Data quality Aged care Disability Root cause analysis Thematic analysis |
| title | Factors impacting clinical data and documentation quality in Australian aged care and disability services: a user-centred perspective |
| title_full | Factors impacting clinical data and documentation quality in Australian aged care and disability services: a user-centred perspective |
| title_fullStr | Factors impacting clinical data and documentation quality in Australian aged care and disability services: a user-centred perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors impacting clinical data and documentation quality in Australian aged care and disability services: a user-centred perspective |
| title_short | Factors impacting clinical data and documentation quality in Australian aged care and disability services: a user-centred perspective |
| title_sort | factors impacting clinical data and documentation quality in australian aged care and disability services a user centred perspective |
| topic | Health information system Data quality Aged care Disability Root cause analysis Thematic analysis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-04899-1 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gaptshering factorsimpactingclinicaldataanddocumentationqualityinaustralianagedcareanddisabilityservicesausercentredperspective AT lakkhinatroeung factorsimpactingclinicaldataanddocumentationqualityinaustralianagedcareanddisabilityservicesausercentredperspective AT rebeccawalton factorsimpactingclinicaldataanddocumentationqualityinaustralianagedcareanddisabilityservicesausercentredperspective AT angelitamartini factorsimpactingclinicaldataanddocumentationqualityinaustralianagedcareanddisabilityservicesausercentredperspective |