Abstract:
A strategy in New South Wales to develop the
capacity of health professionals, particularly
nurses, to mine hospital administrative data to
support their clinical and managerial decision
making was reported in 200l. (1) Health service
delivery will keep its promises of efficiency and
effectiveness only to the extent that how service
delivery works is appreciated and understood.
That has meant pushing "using data" down to the
people who really understand what the data mean.
This four stage model involved developing an
appreciation of the potential for data use through
public presentations of completed studies; using
data workshops; two tiers of postgraduate subjects
on methods for and considerations in using
administrative and other health data; and
establishing local hospital or Area Health Service
based groups of users. The model involves
industry-academic partnering. Evidence that this
model is working is reported here. Factors that
impede or facilitate the process at various stages
are discussed.
