9 research outputs found

    Registration bias in a clinical quality register

    No full text
    Background and aims:The quality of medical quality registers is poorly defined and lack of trust in data due to low completeness may be a major barrier against their use in quality improvement interventions. The aim of the current observational study was to explore how selective reporting may influence adverse events registered in the Norwegian quality register for colonoscopy (Gastronet). Materials and Methods:Gastronet's database includes data provided by endoscopists, nurses and patients. All outpatient colonoscopies reported to Gastronet in 2015 were included and compared to the total number of colonoscopies performed in Norway as retrieved from the National Patient Registry. Hospitals were categorized into four groups according to reporting completeness < 50 %, 50 % to 69 %, 70 % to 89 % and ≥ 90 %. The number of recorded adverse events (AEs) and procedure time were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to explore independent factors for selection bias. Results: A total of 22,364 colonoscopies were reported to the National Patient Register of which 15,855 (71 %) were registered in Gastronet. Feedback was received from 11,079 patients (50 %). The frequency of AEs increased from 0.6 % in completeness group < 50 % to 1.6 % in completeness group ≥ 90 % ( P  < 0.001). Long colonoscopy procedure time was associated with low reporting completeness. Patient feedback was associated with older age, cecal intubation success and sedation-free colonoscopy. Conclusion:Incomplete registration in a colonoscopy quality register is associated with underreporting of AEs. Longer procedure time, a surrogate marker for time constraint, is associated with low completeness

    First quality score for referral letters in gastroenterology—a validation study

    Get PDF
    Objective To create and validate an objective and reliable score to assess referral quality in gastroenterology. Design An observational multicentre study. Setting and participants 25 gastroenterologists participated in selecting variables for a Thirty Point Score (TPS) for quality assessment of referrals to gastroenterology specialist healthcare for 9 common indications. From May to September 2014, 7 hospitals from the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority participated in collecting and scoring 327 referrals to a gastroenterologist. Main outcome measure Correlation between the TPS and a visual analogue scale (VAS) for referral quality. Results The 327 referrals had an average TPS of 13.2 (range 1–25) and an average VAS of 4.7 (range 0.2–9.5). The reliability of the score was excellent, with an intra-rater intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.87 and inter-rater ICC of 0.91. The overall correlation between the TPS and the VAS was moderate (r=0.42), and ranged from fair to substantial for the various indications. Mean agreement was good (ICC=0.47, 95% CI (0.34 to 0.57)), ranging from poor to good. Conclusions The TPS is reliable, objective and shows good agreement with the subjective VAS. The score may be a useful tool for assessing referral quality in gastroenterology, particularly important when evaluating the effect of interventions to improve referral quality

    Erosive Esophagitis and Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Patients with Morbid Obesity with and without Type 2 Diabetes: a Cross-sectional Study

    No full text
    Background Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in the general population, but the relationship between these conditions in candidates for bariatric surgery is uncertain. We compared the prevalence of GERD and the association between GERD symptoms and esophagitis among bariatric candidates with and without T2DM. Methods Cross-sectional study of baseline data from the Oseberg study in Norway. Both groups underwent gastroduodenoscopy and completed validated questionnaires: Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire. Participants with T2DM underwent 24-h pH-metry. Results A total of 124 patients with T2DM, 81 women, mean (SD) age 48.6 (9.4) years and BMI 42.3 (5.5) kg/m2, and 64 patients without T2DM, 46 women, age 43.0 (11.0) years and BMI 43.0 (5.0) kg/m2, were included. The proportions of patients reporting GERD-symptoms were low (< 29%) and did not differ significantly between groups, while the proportions of patients with esophagitis were high both in the T2DM and non-T2DM group, 58% versus 47%, p = 0.16. The majority of patients with esophagitis did not have GERD-symptoms (68–80%). Further, 55% of the patients with T2DM had pathologic acid reflux. Among these, 71% also had erosive esophagitis, whereof 67% were asymptomatic. Conclusions The prevalence of GERD was similar in bariatric patients with or without T2DM, and the proportion of patients with asymptomatic GERD was high independent of the presence or absence of T2DM. Accordingly, GERD may be underdiagnosed in patients not undergoing a preoperative endoscopy or acid reflux assessmen

    The effect of train-the-colonoscopy-trainer course on colonoscopy quality indicators

    Get PDF
    Background: Systematic training in colonoscopy is highly recommended; however, we have limited knowledge of the effects of "training-the-colonoscopy-trainer" (TCT) courses. Using a national quality register on colonoscopy performance, we aimed to evaluate the effects of TCT participation on defined quality indicators. Methods: This observational study compared quality indicators (pain, cecal intubation, and polyp detection) between centers participating versus not participating in a TCT course. Nonparticipating centers were assigned a pseudoparticipating year to match their participating counterparts. Results were compared between first year after and the year before TCT (pseudo)participation. Time trends up to 5 years after TCT (pseudo)participation were also compared. Generalized estimating equation models, adjusted for age, sex, and bowel cleansing, were used. Results: 11 participating and 11 nonparticipating centers contributed 18 555 and 10 730 colonoscopies, respectively. In participating centers, there was a significant increase in detection of polyps ≥ 5 mm, from 26.4 % to 29.2 % (P = 0.035), and reduction in moderate/severe pain experienced by women, from 38.2 % to 33.6 % (P = 0.043); no significant changes were found in nonparticipating centers. Over 5 years, 20 participating and 18 nonparticipating centers contributed 85 691 and 41 569 colonoscopies, respectively. In participating centers, polyp detection rate increased linearly (P = 0.003), and pain decreased linearly in women (P = 0.004). Nonparticipating centers did not show any significant time trend during the study period. Conclusions: Participation in a TCT course improved polyp detection rates and reduced pain experienced by women. These effects were maintained during a 5-year follow-up

    Endoscopy assistants influence the quality of colonoscopy

    No full text
    Background: Colonoscopy performance varies between endoscopists, but little is known about the impact of endoscopy assistants on key performance indicators. We used a large prospective colonoscopy quality database to perform an exploratory study to evaluate differences in selected quality indicators between endoscopy assistants. Methods: All colonoscopies reported to the Norwegian colonoscopy quality assurance register Gastronet can be used to trace individual endoscopy assistants. We analyzed key quality indicators (cecum intubation rate, polyp detection rate, colonoscopies rated as severely painful, colonoscopies with sedation or analgesia, and satisfaction with information) for colonoscopies performed between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2014. Differences between individual assistants were analyzed by fitting multivariable logistic regression models, with the best performing assistant at each participating hospital as reference. All models were adjusted for the endoscopist. Results: 63 endoscopy assistants from 12 hospitals assisted in 15 365 colonoscopies. Compared with their top performing peers from the same hospital, one assistant was associated with cecum intubation failure, four with poor polyp detection, nine with painful colonoscopy, 16 with administration of sedation or analgesics during colonoscopy, and three with patient dissatisfaction about information given relating to the colonoscopy. The number of procedures during the study period or lifetime experience as an endoscopy assistant were not associated with any quality indicator. Conclusion: In this exploratory study, there was little variation on important colonoscopy quality indicators between endoscopy assistants. However, there were differences among assistants that may be clinically important. Endoscopy assistants should be subject to quality surveillance similarly to endoscopists. © 2018 Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgar
    corecore