This User’s Guide is intended to support the design, implementation, analysis, interpretation, and quality evaluation of registries created to increase understanding of patient outcomes. For the purposes of this guide, a patient registry is an organized system that uses observational study methods to collect uniform data (clinical and other) to evaluate specified outcomes for a population defined by a particular disease, condition, or exposure, and that serves one or more predetermined scientific, clinical, or policy purposes. A registry database is a file (or files) derived from the registry. Although registries can serve many purposes, this guide focuses on registries created for one or more of the following purposes: to describe the natural history of disease, to determine clinical effectiveness or cost-effectiveness of health care products and services, to measure or monitor safety and harm, and/or to measure quality of care. Registries are classified according to how their populations are defined. For example, product registries include patients who have been exposed to biopharmaceutical products or medical devices. Health services registries consist of patients who have had a common procedure, clinical encounter, or hospitalization. Disease or condition registries are defined by patients having the same diagnosis, such as cystic fibrosis or heart failure. The User’s Guide was created by researchers affiliated with AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program, particularly those who participated in AHRQ’s DEcIDE (Developing Evidence to Inform Decisions About Effectiveness) program. Chapters were subject to multiple internal and external independent reviews.

"This project aimed to collect and critically review the existing evidence on practices relevant to improving patient safety"--P. v.

Winner of the Basis of Medicine Award in the BMA Book Medical Book Competition 2006! In many countries, during the last decade there has been a growing public realization that healthcare organisations are often dangerous places to be. Reports published in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the USA have served to focus public and policy attention on the safety of patients and to highlight the alarmingly high incidence of errors and adverse events that lead to some kind of harm or injury. This book presents a research-based perspective on patient safety, drawing together the most recent ideas and thinking from researchers on how to research and understand patient safety issues, and how research findings are used to shape policy and practice. The book examines key issues, including: Analysis and measurement of patient safety Approaches to improving patient safety Future policy and practice regarding patient safety The legal dimensions of patient safety Patient Safety is essential reading for researchers, policy makers and practitioners involved in, or interested in, patient safety. The book is also of interest to the growing number of postgraduate students on health policy and health management programmes that focus upon healthcare quality, risk management and patient safety. Contributors: Sally Adams, Tony Avery, Maureen Baker, Paul Beatty, Ruth Boaden, Tanya Claridge, Gary Cook, Caroline Davy, Susan Dovey, Aneez Esmail, Rachel Finn, Martin Fletcher, Sally Giles, John Hickner, Rachel Howard, Amanda Howe, Michael A. Jones, Sue Kirk, Rebecca Lawton, Martin Marshall, Caroline Morris, Dianne Parker, Shirley Pearce, Bob Phillips, Steve Rogers, Richard Thomson, Charles Vincent, Kieran Walshe, Justin Waring, Alison Watkin, Fiona Watts, Liz West, Maria Woloshynowych.

v. 1. Research findings -- v. 2. Concepts and methodology -- v. 3. Implementation issues -- v. 4. Programs, tools and products.