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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Methods Inf Med 2024; 63(03/04): 066-076
DOI: 10.1055/a-2511-7866
Original Article for a Focus Theme

The Significance of Information Quality for the Secondary Use of the Information in the National Health Care Quality Registers in Finland

Anna Frondelius
1   Department of Health and Social Management, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
,
Ulla-Mari Kinnunen
1   Department of Health and Social Management, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
2   Research Center for Nursing Science and Social and Health Management, Wellbeing Services County of North Savo, Kuopio, Finland
,
Vesa Jormanainen
3   Department of Clients and Services in Healthcare and Social Welfare, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Helsinki, Finland
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Abstract

Background The aim of the national health care quality registers is to monitor, assess, and improve the quality of care. The information utilized in quality registers must be of high quality to ensure that the information produced by the registers is reliable and useful. In Finland, one of the key sources of information for the quality registers is the national Kanta services.

Objectives The objective of the study was to increase understanding of the significance of information quality for the secondary use of the information in the national health care quality registers and to provide information on whether the information quality of the national Kanta services supports the information needs of the national quality registers, and how information quality should be developed.

Methods The research data were collected by interviewing six experts responsible for national health care quality registers, and it was analyzed using theory-driven qualitative content analysis based on the DeLone and McLean model.

Results Based on the results, the relevance of the information in the Kanta services met the information needs of the national quality registers. However, due to the limited amount of structured information and deficiencies in the completeness of the information, relevant information could not be fully utilized. Deficiencies in information quality posed challenges in information retrieval and hindered drawing conclusions in reporting. Challenges in information quality did not diminish the intention to use the information when information was considered relevant. Solutions to improve information quality included structuring, development of documentation practices, patient information systems and quality assurance, as well as collaboration among stakeholders.

Conclusion The Kanta services' information is relevant for the national health care quality registers, but developing the quality of the information, especially in terms of structures and completeness, is the key to fully enabling the secondary use of this information.

Keywords

information - information quality - secondary use - quality register

Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 26 May 2024

Accepted: 16 December 2024

Accepted Manuscript online:
08 January 2025

Article published online:
29 January 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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