Design and Development of a Hospital-Based Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Registry in Iran

BACKGROUND: The incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD), the leading cause of mortality in most developed and developing countries, is increasing. The adoption of hospital registries can improve care delivery and facilitate the management of CAD through better planning, as well as help with outcome assessment through more effective data management. OBJECTIVES: The present study is aimed at designing a hospital-based CAD registry for managing CAD data. METHODS: This developmental study was conducted in three phases. Initially, sources related to CAD registries were reviewed, the results of which were published in two studies. In the next phase, the prerequisites and requisites of the software were determined through a qualitative study. In this phase, the registry dataset was determined by using a questionnaire. Finally, the developed conceptual model of the software was validated. The software was then developed based on the validated conceptual model. RESULTS: The registry data elements were classified into 13 main categories, including identification data, medical history, and risk factors. The dataset included 171 data elements, including data related to surgical and nonsurgical procedures. The conceptual model was approved by field experts, and the software was developed accordingly. CONCLUSION: The steps followed in the present study for developing the CAD registry can be used as an appropriate approach for designing similar hospital-based registries. Considering the pivotal role of the registry in the management of CAD, the routine and systemic use of the registry is suggested in all healthcare centers.