KEYWORD1:
Registry Reporting, Data Quality, Electronic File Transfer, Internet-Accessible

BACKGROUND:
The New York Citywide Immunization Registry (CIR) receives data from 90% of health care facilities in NYC (total number of facilities ~ 1250). A significant percent of the data (~40%) is submitted via electronic media while the remaining via paper reporting forms. Although the majority of providers report to the registry, reporting is irregular and often incomplete. The CIR continually explores ways to increase frequency of reporting and data quality.

OBJECTIVE:
To describe the impact of a web based file transfer application on the quality of data reported to the CIR.

METHOD:
In May 2002, the NYC CIR deployed an electronic file transfer application called Web File Repository (WFR). The WFR application allows providers to securely transfer files with patient and immunization information directly from their computers to the CIR via the Internet. The WFR application, not only encrypts the data and is capable of reading compressed files, but also gives feedback to users on the status of file submissions. For example, it lets users know whether a file was rejected and why, whether it was processed successfully or whether it was processed partially because of errors in some records.

RESULT:
Preliminary results indicate that the WFR application has a positive impact on both timeliness and frequency of reporting and quality of data. Detailed results will be available in March 2003.

CONCLUSION:
An easy-to-use application available over the Internet to health care facilities for data submission may contribute to improving data quality for an immunization registry.
LEARNINGOBJECTIVES:
Registries should work toward making reporting easy and toward giving timely feedback on quality of data received. Improving a registry's data quality renders a registry more useful to the medical community and the public.