Using structured data entry systems in the electronic medical record to collect clinical data for quality and research: Can we efficiently serve multiple needs for complex patients with spina bifida?
Jason P Van Batavia, Dana A Weiss, Christopher J Long and 4 others
PMID 30507591WHAT IT FOUND
A real-time EHR flow sheet captured 316 pediatric spina bifida urodynamics with 3% missing cells, and analysis took under 2 hours.
It reports efficient data collection, not better patient outcomes.
Key findings
01Over 18 months, 316 urodynamic studies in patients with spina bifida were completed using the structured data entry form.
02Entries were missing in 3% of data cells after real-time physician entry, with no research assistant filling gaps.
03The proof-of-concept comparison of prenatal and postnatal closure found no difference in bladder capacity or vesicoureteral reflux.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The work was done at one institution, and all data were entered by attending pediatric urologists, so other provider groups were not tested. The study reports data collection and a proof-of-concept analysis, not patient care outcomes or treatment effects. The authors say the prenatal and postnatal comparison was not intended to draw conclusions about differences between spina bifida populations. About 3% of cells were missing, and some missing entries may reflect no appropriate value rather than a true data problem. The authors note they collected more fields than they could handle, including shunt status, infections, bowel management history, and orthopedic status.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the structured data entry system improved patient care or bladder outcomes. The paper reports data collection and a proof-of-concept analysis, not treatment results.