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aligned to their core values, statutory duties and strategic vision.
Methods
An extensive and systematic search of the literature was conducted to identify
relevant empirical research concerning the use of administrative data within
Health and Social Care. Three databases were selected and utilised based
upon their respective strengths as outlined within the review. As the research
question examines the effective use of routine administrative data, the
Cochrane Collaboration was also accessed given its focus on the production
of credible, high-quality systematic reviews.
The three databases selected were:
Medline (on Ovid platform);
The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature
(CINHAL);and
Social Care Online (SCIE).
The initial research question was refined over time into three, precise, concept
groups, namely:
1. Data: This group contains the related keywords - intelligence / information /
data / statistical data / service data / machine learning / correlation /
trend(s) / administrative data
2. Regulators: This group contains the related keywords - regulation / risk
management / inspection / inspectorate / inspectors. International terms of
reference synonymous with regulation were also employed such as
licensure, commission and accreditation.
3. Health and Social Care: This group contains the related keywords
commonly used to describe HSC services which are subject to regulatory
oversight such as, nursing home, residential home, dental practices,
children's' homes.
Findings
Following a process of systematic database searching, and filtering by means
of an inclusion criteria, a total of 19 peer reviewed research articles were
included for the synthesis component of this review. The synthesis did not
involve either meta- analysis or meta-synthesis.
The themes which emerged within the synthesis will help inform thinking
relating to regulators' corporate policy and development; predictive decision
making; and approaches to data collection and analysis. The synthesis was
thematically structured as this is an approach which offers a transparent