The utility of administrative data for neurotrauma surveillance and prevention in Ontario, Canada

This paper reviews existing data sources in Ontario to see how well they can track neurotrauma cases (brain and spinal cord injuries). The goal is to find reliable ways to monitor these injuries, which helps in creating effective prevention programs. The study looked at administrative data from Ontario's health care system and national surveys. They checked if these sources had the information needed for neurotrauma surveillance, using guidelines from the World Health Organization. The research identifies which data sources are most useful for keeping track of neurotrauma cases and examines the pros and cons of using these sources. It shows how administrative data can help monitor neurotrauma and be a cost-effective way to create and assess injury prevention programs.

• 1
  Five key data sources were identified for neurotrauma surveillance: National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS), Discharge Abstract Database (DAD), Comprehensive Data Set of the Ontario Trauma Registry (OTR CDS), Statistics Canada’s Vital Statistics Death Database, and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
• 2
  NACRS and DAD include demographic, clinical, and administrative data. They track patients across care continuum, allow geographical analysis, but have data delays and limited death records.
• 3
  The OTR CDS offers data elements relevant for injury prevention surveillance like the Abbreviated Injury Scale and helmet use, but it's limited to eleven lead trauma hospitals with serious injuries.