Complication reporting in trauma: An environmental scan and comparison of nationwide trauma registry data

Abstract

BackgroundTo explore variability in quality measurement, this study aimed to compare abstraction and definitions of complications reported across trauma registries in Canada. MethodsA literature search was performed to identify active trauma registries used in Canadian hospitals. Registry characteristics, data abstraction, and reported complications and definitions based on registry data dictionaries were compared. ResultsNine registries were included, most of which were provincial-level registries (67 ​%). A total of 53 individual complications were identified. Twenty-one (40 ​%) were recorded by only one registry each whereas 5 (9 ​%) were collected by all. Of the 32 complications collected by ​> ​1 registry, 18 (56 ​%) had different definitions. Of the 18 with different definitions, 12 (67 ​%), 5 (28 ​%), and 1 (6 ​%) had 2, 3, and 4 different definitions across registries, respectively. ConclusionsComplications reported by trauma registries are variable. Reliable benchmarking is likely challenging, and efforts to standardize complication reporting may be a valuable undertaking.