Reporting interhospital neonatal intensive care transport: international five-step Delphi-based template

Abstract

Objective To develop a general and internationally applicable template of data variables for reporting interhospital neonatal intensive care transports. Design A five-step Delphi method. Setting A group of experts was guided through a formal consensus process using email. Subjects 12 experts in neonatal intensive care transports from Canada, Denmark, Norway, the UK and the USA. Four women and eight men. The experts were neonatologists, anaesthesiologists, intensive care nurse, anaesthetic nurse, medical leaders, researchers and a parent representative. Main outcome measures 37 data variables were included in the final template. Results Consensus was achieved on a template of 37 data variables with definitions. 30 variables to be registered for each transport and 7 for annual registration of the system of the transport service. 11 data variables under the category structure, 20 under process and 6 under outcome. Conclusions We developed a template with a set of data variables to be registered for neonatal intensive care transports. To register the same data will enable larger datasets and comparing services.