112 Barriers and facilitators to data collection for the Irish National Audit of Stroke

Abstract

Abstract Background Stroke is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Ireland and worldwide, with over 7,000 new cases in Ireland each year. The audit of stroke facilitates service evaluation and quality improvement initiatives and is becoming increasingly important as acute stroke treatment is rapidly changing. In Ireland, the National Office of Clinical Audit has managed the Irish National Audit of Stroke (INAS) since 2019. This study is part of a wider project titled ‘Maximising the Quality of Stroke Care in Ireland—Development of a National Stroke Audit’ which aims to further develop INAS. Methods As part of the overarching project, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Irish health professionals involved in stroke care and data collection for INAS, including nurses, health and social care professionals and administrators. Qualitative data relating to data collection for INAS were extracted and analysed for recurring themes using NVIVO software. Results The most frequently identified barriers to data collection were: 1. Lack of time and resources; 2. Infrastructural challenges (access to computers, desk space and IT systems); and 3. Perceived uselessness of the audit. Identified facilitators were: (1) Systems of organisation (electronic and paper-based solutions) that allow shared responsibility of data input and (2) Leadership from managers and the influence of team members that perceive the data collection for INAS as important and beneficial for the local service. Professionals who valued the audit as an important clinical tool were more likely to have a positive view of the work required to input data for INAS. Conclusion INAS is a crucial instrument for understanding the demographic characteristics and care received by stroke patients in Ireland. Streamlining the data collection procedures is an important part in developing INAS. There are significant resource and time limitations affecting data collection that need to be taken into consideration for any future audit development.