Assessment of clinical information quality in digital health technologies: an international eDelphi study (Preprint)

Abstract

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> Digital Health Technologies (DHTs), such as electronic health records and prescribing systems, are transforming healthcare delivery around the world. The quality of information in DHTs is key to the quality and safety of care. We developed a novel Clinical Information Quality (CLIQ) Framework to assess the quality of clinical information in DHTs. </sec> <sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> This study explored clinicians’ perspectives on the relevance, definition, and assessment of information quality dimensions in the CLIQ Framework </sec> <sec> <title>METHODS</title> A systematic and iterative eDelphi approach was used to engage clinicians with information governance roles or interest, recruited through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data were collected using semi-structured online questionnaires until consensus was reached on the information quality dimensions in the CLIQ Framework. Responses on the relevance of the dimensions were summarized to inform decisions on retention of dimensions according to pre-specified rules. Thematic analysis of the free-text responses was used to revise definitions and assessment of dimensions. </sec> <sec> <title>RESULTS</title> Thirty-five clinicians from ten countries participated in the study which was concluded after the second round. Consensus was reached on all the dimensions in the CLIQ Framework i.e., accuracy, completeness, interpretability, plausibility, provenance, relevance, accessibility, portability, security, timeliness, conformance, consistency, and maintainability. A new dimension, searchability, was introduced to account for the ease of finding needed information in the DHTs. Certain dimensions were renamed, and some definitions were rephrased to improve clarity. </sec> <sec> <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> The CLIQ Framework reached a high expert consensus and clarity of language relating to the information quality dimensions. The framework can be used by healthcare professionals and institutions as a pragmatic tool for identifying and forestalling information quality problems which could compromise patient safety and quality of care. </sec> <sec> <title>CLINICALTRIAL</title> N/A </sec> <sec> <title>INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT</title> RR2-http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057430 </sec>

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