Analysis of Data as Information: Quality Assurance Approach

Describes a prototype module for data analysis of the healthcare delivery system. It consists of three main parts: data/variable selection; algorithms for the analysis of quantitative and qualitative changes in the system; and interpretation and explanation of the results. Such a module designed for primary health care has been installed on a PC in the health manager′s office. Data enter the information system through the standard DBMS procedures, followed by calculating a number of different indicators and the time series, as the ordered sequences of indicators, according to demands of the manager. The last procedure is “the change analysis” with estimation of unexpected differences between and within some units, e.g. health‐care teams, as well as some unexpected variabilities and trends. As an example, presents and discusses the diagnostic pattern of neurotic cases, referral patterns and preventive behaviour of GP′s teams as well.