The Western Australian Record Linkage Project: Population-Based Studies of Health System Utilisation and Outcomes

通过西澳大利亚州记录联系项目与五年期间一贯应用的研究专门知识的独特结合，该项目将提供难以通过任何其他方式获得的关于卫生系统绩效的信息。将制定五个优先主题：（1）保健方面的不平等，特别是更好地了解社会不利地位、缺乏私人医疗保险以及生活在农村和偏远地区对保健机会和结果的影响。(2)通过研究可预防住院时间的原因以及医院和全科医生在减少这些风险方面的作用，可预防住院时间。(3)通过对外科手术的适当性和结局进行系统评价，促进外科和手术护理的最佳实践。(4)临床安全性和实施后监督，以确保新技术的安全性。最后，（5）方法论上的改进，提供更好的档案链接方法来评估卫生系统。该项目符合《国家卫生信息发展计划》在记录联系和卫生成果方面确定的优先事项，以及对澳大利亚保健质量工作队建议的干预措施的监测，以及澳大利亚保健安全和质量理事会的国家议程。这项工作将审查澳大利亚卫生部长选择的六个重点领域中的五个领域的卫生系统准入和成果。此外，调查结果将用于在一个以普遍获得高质量卫生服务而自豪的国家为弱势群体进行宣传。鉴于该项目与现有优先事项的相关性，以及西澳大利亚州记录联系项目提供的独特机会，预计将对卫生政策和实践产生实质性的有益影响，并产生有助于国际知识的新研究方法和发现。

Through the unique combination of the WA Record Linkage Project and research expertise applied consistently over a 5 year period, the project will provide information on the health system's performance, which is difficult to obtain in any other way. Five priority themes will be developed: (1) INEQUALITIES IN HEALTH CARE, in particular a better understanding of the effects of social disadvantage, lack of private health cover and living in rural and remote areas on health care access and outcomes. (2) PREVENTABLE INPATIENT TIME through research into the causes of preventable inpatient time and the role of the hospital and general practice in reducing these risks. (3) PROMOTING BEST PRACTICE IN SURGICAL and PROCEDURAL CARE through systematic evaluation of the appropriateness and outcomes of surgical procedures. (4) CLINICAL SAFETY AND POST-IMPLEMENTATION SURVEILLANCE to ensure the safety of new technology. Finally, (5) METHODOLOGIC DEVELOPMENTS to provide better methods of record linkage to evaluate the health system. The project is consistent with priorities set in the National Health Information Development Plan in record linkage and health outcomes, as well as the monitoring of interventions recommended by the Taskforce on Quality in Australian Health Care, and the national agenda given to the Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care. The work will examine health system access and outcomes for five of the six focus areas chosen by the Australian health ministers. Moreover, the results will be used to advocate on behalf of vulnerable populations in a country that prides itself on universal access to high quality health services. In view of the relevance of the project to existing priorities, and the unique opportunities afforded by the WA Record Linkage Project, a substantial, beneficial impact on health policy and practice is anticipated, as well as new research methods and findings that will contribute to international knowledge.