Administrative data: what surgeons should know about big data

Big Data in Surgery

The emergence of Big Data has been facilitated by technological advancements in the processing, storage, and analysis of large quantities of data. Its strength is derived from its size, ease of access, and speed of analysis, and it has enabled surgeons to investigate areas of interest that traditional research models have historically been unable to address. In the future, Big Data will likely assist in the incorporation of more advanced technologies into surgical practice, including artificial intelligence and machine learning to realize the full potential of Big Data in Surgery.

Impact of hospital geographic remoteness on short-term outcomes after colorectal cancer resection using state-wide administrative data

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to use validated coding algorithms, applied to a central repository of administrative data (AD), to report on short-term outcomes following resection for colorectal cancer (CRC) comparing regional to metropolitan Victorian hospitals.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study using prospectively gathered AD. The primary outcome was prolonged length of stay (LOS). Secondary outcomes were: inpatient mortality, return to theatre, discharge destination and need for mechanical ventilation/intensive care unit support. Outcomes were adjusted for potential confounders via multivariable logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

This study of 18 470 patients found strong evidence for lower odds of prolonged LOS (odds ratio (OR) 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.48-0.58, P ≤ 0.001) and inpatient mortality (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.49-0.91, P = 0.01) in inner regional hospital compared with metropolitan hospitals. For outer regional hospitals, there was strong evidence of decreased odds of prolonged LOS (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.52-0.77, P = <0.001) and return to theatre (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.47-0.95, P = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

This is the largest and most detailed study concerning short-term outcomes following CRC resection in Victorian public hospitals. Inner and outer regional centres had similar or better short-term outcomes than metropolitan hospitals after CRC resection. AD with validated algorithms serves as a large accurate database to report on CRC outcomes.