Enhancing Data Completeness in Early Detection Pathway of Prostate Cancer: Integration of a Dashboard-Driven Feedback Tool to Improve Quality of Care

Abstract

Background: Quality assurance in data collection is essential as data quality directly impacts the accuracy and reliability of outcomes. In the context of early detection of prostate cancer, improving data completeness is a key focus for enhancing patient care. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a data-driven feedback tool, visualized through a dashboard, in improving the completeness of data collection by healthcare professionals. Methods: A cohort of eight healthcare professionals were provided with a dashboard displaying weekly feedback on the completeness of 86 essential data items, including patient demographics, laboratory results, and imaging findings. A comparative analysis of data completeness was conducted for 577 patients enrolled in the prostate cancer early detection pathway, with 211 patients assessed before and 366 patients after the introduction of the dashboard. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann–Whitney rank-sum test and Chi-square tests. Results: The implementation of the dashboard significantly improved data completeness across all healthcare professionals. The average completeness score increased from 0.70 (95% CI 0.67–0.76) before the dashboard’s introduction to 0.88 (95% CI 0.86–0.92) after its implementation, with a p-value of <0.001. Conclusions: The introduction of a data-driven feedback dashboard significantly enhanced data completeness within the prostate cancer early detection pathway. This improvement has the potential to positively impact the quality of care and to support the generation of high-quality data for future research.