An examination of the levels of confidence that consultants have in routinely collected clinical information

Anecdotal evidence suggests that consultants have a low level of confidence in routinely collected clinical data. The aims of this study were to assess the actual levels of confidence in clinical information experienced by consultants and to understand the factors affecting confidence. A questionnaire was devised incorporating a scale to measure levels of confidence. This was disseminated to 506 consultants and achieved a 57 per cent response rate. The confidence scale showed good internal reliability and the influential factors were modelled using multilinear regression. Consultant specialty, increased involvement in clinical coding, and participation in service planning/monitoring all had a significant effect. A small number of semi-structured interviews further examined these factors. Whilst the findings confirm there is scope to increase levels of confidence, the mean score indicated neither a high nor a low level of confidence. The results demonstrate that improving consultants' confidence in information is complex and requires a partnership approach.