Developing a national data platform
How will LUCAP collect and store data?
The LUCAP infrastructure will comprise one central, secure database platform and be scalable to manage data from hundreds of treating centres across Australia. The platform will enable secure, web-based data entry and will integrate with local electronic medical records to minimise the burden of dual data entry.
Importantly, LUCAP will not be collecting 'new' data from patients directly, data will be collected from the systems already in place at participating hospitals and service providers, such as diagnosis date, diagnosis type, treatment pathway etc. The data will be collated and stored securely on a bespoke data platform housed on-premise at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia. All data will be managed in accordance with the Operating Principles for Clinical Quality Registries. Data sets and metadata specifications will be standardised using data items specified in the National Health Data Dictionary.
LUCAP Clinical Quality Indicators of Care
Indicators for lung cancer care developed through LUCAP-led eDelphi consensus process in 2022-23. These CQI's will be reviewed annually at the Australian Lung Cancer Conference.
How does LUCAP report and present data?
Where appropriate, case-mix adjusted proportions of key measures will be presented after statistical adjustment for measures such as age, sex, lung function, smoking status, performance score, cancer stage and socioeconomic status. Multivariable linear regression models will determine the probability that the result is significantly different from the national mean. Data will be presented as a case-mix adjusted percentage and the results further illustrated as funnel plots.
Lung Foundation Australia will publish staged, progressive patient-centred reports. A robust outlier policy will be developed for treating centres with poor outcomes based on successful international quality improvement approaches.
Finally, all contributing centres will have access to a local, live dashboard of clinical quality indicators targets to facilitate continuous local service improvement.
