Developing effective feedback on quality of anaesthetic care: what are its most valuable characteristics from a clinical perspective?

OBJECTIVES Research suggests that better feedback from quality and safety indicators leads to enhanced capability of clinicians and departments to improve care and change behaviour. The aim of the current study was to investigate the characteristics of feedback perceived by clinicians to be of most value. METHODS Data were collected using a survey designed as part of a wider evaluation of a data feedback initiative in anaesthesia. Eighty-nine consultant anaesthetists from two English NHS acute Trusts completed the survey. Multiple linear regression with hierarchical variable entry was used to investigate which characteristics of feedback predict its perceived usefulness for monitoring variation and improving care. RESULTS The final model demonstrated that the relevance of the quality indicators to the specific service area (β=0.64, p=0.01) and the credibility of the data as coming from a trustworthy, unbiased source (β=0.55, p=0.01) were the significant predictors, having controlled for all other covariates. CONCLUSION For clinicians to engage with effective quality monitoring and feedback, the perceived local relevance of indicators and trust in the credibility of the resulting data are paramount.