Medical Record Abstraction for Orthopedic Research
Medical Record Abstraction for Orthopedic Research
Obtaining research data via medical record review involves multiple steps, each of which can introduce errors. Therefore, research that involves MRR should provide reasonable assurance that the data are valid and reliable. In this study, we assessed the reliability of a MRR method to abstract surgical information from TKR procedures. We found that the MRRs performed by research coordinators were reliable (inter- and intra-rater reliability) and valid (agreement with an orthopedic surgeon). Furthermore, our result was similar to that obtained from a nation-wide MRR survey of patients undergoing surgery. The findings of this study provide support for the reliability and validity of MRR in the setting of research on risk factors for revision of TKR.
Conclusions
Obtaining research data via medical record review involves multiple steps, each of which can introduce errors. Therefore, research that involves MRR should provide reasonable assurance that the data are valid and reliable. In this study, we assessed the reliability of a MRR method to abstract surgical information from TKR procedures. We found that the MRRs performed by research coordinators were reliable (inter- and intra-rater reliability) and valid (agreement with an orthopedic surgeon). Furthermore, our result was similar to that obtained from a nation-wide MRR survey of patients undergoing surgery. The findings of this study provide support for the reliability and validity of MRR in the setting of research on risk factors for revision of TKR.