The standardisation of data is fundamentally the process of capturing, coding and storing data in an agreed format that allows for effective research, analysis, system development and sharing of best practice. Collaborative working in these ways across Wales would improve our healthcare system and the outcomes for our population.
Having an agreed set of data standards which all stakeholders within a healthcare system understand and adopt is a key enabler of value-based healthcare, because it allows data to move between different systems or applications, whilst retaining a consistent definition or meaning. This is also known as interoperability.
The Welsh Value in Health Centre are working hard to achieve the interoperability of data within NHS Wales, specifically patient reported outcome data. The digital team are developing a set of data standards , process standards and interoperability standards that can be taken and applied at organisation level when embarking on outcome collection.
To support the improvement of data standards, our team are developing a list of condition specific data standard change notices (DSCNs). This will include associated pathway guides and the technical detail that allows organisations to implement the steps necessary around complying with coding and data structuring for patient reported outcome collection in a wide variety of condition and generic pathways.