Aim
The aim of the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons National Database is firstly, to improve quality of care for cardiac patients by allowing appropriate comparison of clinical performance with national and international standards, and secondly to provide useful data on changing trends within the speciality.
This will be achieved by:
- Systematic collection of an agreed minimum dataset (MDS) at each contributing centre on a defined patient population
- Aggregation and validation of data
- Analysis and development of risk stratification models for outcome measures
- Regular feedback to contributing centres
- Continuous evaluation of performance and changing practice and the influence of risk factors
Pilot Project
A pilot database project was established in 1994 and the first report including data from 12 hospitals was published in 1996. This year all NHS hospitals in the UK are expected to contribute.
Dataset
The first agreed dataset was finalised in June 1996 and has remained unchanged until this year. The new dataset has been co-ordinated through the NHS Information Authority in order to ensure harmony with cardiological and other NHS datasets.
Data Collection
The anonymised patient data required for the 1996, 1998, 1999 and the most recent 2000-2001 report are downloaded, merged and analysed for the Society by Dendrite Clinical Systems Ltd.
Data from the Scottish units is submitted directly from the Scottish Cardiac Surgical Register.
During the course of 2003 all units in England will be connected to the Central Cardiac Audit Database which will provide long-term mortality tracking for all cardiac surgical patients. In time this will provide the channel for data from all English units, including private hospitals.
Data Validation
Data validation mechanisms have been developed through a joint project with the Nuffield Trust, Rand Organisation and the California Department of Health. Data validation is key to the long-term success of the database. The NHS Information authority are exploring the feasibility of establishing a rolling programme of robust data validation.
Surgical Results on the Web
Bristol Royal Infirmary , The Cardiothoracic Centre in Liverpool, Manchester Royal Infirmary, the Walsgrave Hospital and Wythenshawe Hospital, St George's, James Cook University Hospital, Oxford Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford publish their surgical results on the web.
North West Quality Improvement Programme
The North West Quality Improvement Programme is the first programme of its kind in the UK. The Programme aims to continuously improve the quality of care for patients receiving cardiac interventions using a regionally based systems approach and sets the pace for others to follow.
Request for data access
View the policy for releasing data from the database. This option is open to consultant members of SCTS only.