Using Best Practice Recommendations to Improve Data Quality Assurance in An IIS

Background:
The Modeling of Immunization Registry Operations Workgroup (MIROW) of the American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA) published a “Best Practice” guidebook on “Data Quality Assurance in IIS: Incoming Data” in February 2008. The Kansas Immunization Registry (KSWebIZ) team was able to implement the guide in developing new reports to enhance overall data quality measures in IIS.

Objectives:
Develop new reports that can measure data quality in terms of timeliness, completeness, and accuracy among provider sites by using the “best practice” guidebook on Data Quality Assurance.

Methods:
• Reviewed the “Data Quality Assurance in IIS: Incoming Data” guidebook developed by the American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA) and Modeling of Immunization Registry Operations Workgroup (MIROW).
• Conducted a GAP analysis on existing data quality procedures in KSWebIZ with the recommendations from the guidebook.
• Evaluation of the unmet measures was conducted and those that correlated to timeliness, completeness, and accuracy were prioritized.

Results:
• Gaps were identified.
• New reports to account for data quality measures at both the provider and system levels were developed.
• A summary report was developed to measure timeliness, accuracy, and data completeness at both the provider and system levels.
• Additional new reports gave providers the level of detail needed to take corrective action if errors were identified.

Conclusions:
Using common consensus-based best practice approaches to data quality assurance can provide the basis for system and practice evaluation and improvement.