Registry Data Coordinator (RDC): a Proper Accessible Strategy for Improving Road Traffic Injury (RTI) Hospital Based Trauma Registry Systems in Developing Countries and Low Income Countries

INTRODUCTION: Evidence suggested that a significant level of trauma mortality can be prevented using registry system. AIM: This study aimed to improve Kashan Hospital Based Trauma Registry System (KHBTRS) for Road Traffic Injury (RTI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: After conducting focus group discussion absence of minimum data set (MDS) and poor data collection process (DCP) were identified as main problems for KHBTRS- RTI. Proposed MDS were surveyed by 20 experts of trauma research center of throughout the Iran. Then approved MDS applied for trauma registry system data base in form of SQL. DCP were reform from prospective data collection (review of medical record) to concurrent (through the interview) approach. RESULTS: Most of participants for MDS approval belonged to clinical group 13(65%). 146 MDS in eighteen main categories were proposed for RTI. The maximum score for each MDS main categories were attributed to body parts injured 220 (100%) and patient vital signs 139 (99.29%) respectively. Pilot testing of KHBTRS- RTI database of 50 (50%) riders indicated fully completeness 50 (100%) for concurrent approach. It was concluded that based on experts’ viewpoints MDS relating to injury nature and place of occurrence have more priority in comparisons to MDS relating to causes of injury. It may attribute to health care providers focus on clinical care and treatment. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that based on experts’ viewpoints MDS relating to injury nature and place of occurrence have more priority in comparisons to MDS relating to RTI prevention; it may attribute to health care providers focus on clinical care and treatment. To develop injury interventions based on given data, recruitment of professionals as registry data coordinator with specific job description to collect and advocacy of injury external causes data seems imperative.