NCDR Data Abstraction Services

The National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) is a collection of clinical registries maintained by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Foundation aimed at improving cardiovascular care. These registries capture data on various aspects of cardiovascular treatment and outcomes. Examples include:

• CathPCI Registry: Focuses on percutaneous coronary intervention and diagnostic catheterization.
• Chest Pain – MI Registry: Tracks processes and outcomes related to chest pain and myocardial infarction.
• EP Device Implant Registry: Collects data on ICD, CRT-D, and pacemaker implants.
• LAAO Registry: Captures data on left atrial appendage occlusion procedures.

ADN’s NCDR registry abstraction services help ensure that the data collected is accurate and complete, supporting national benchmarks and research.

Per-chart abstraction times vary based on the NCDR registry type. For example, CathPCI cases can range on average from 55 to 75 minutes per chart, and this estimated time is for an experienced NCDR abstractor who is familiar with your EHR documentation practices and has technical acumen and clinical expertise. You can expect NCDR minutes per chart to be even longer for novice abstractors. Other factors that can affect abstraction times include case complexity, LOS, quality and consistency of EHR documentation, abstractor training and turnover, distractions/interruptions on the job, and more.

Registry abstraction is the process of extracting and organizing specific data elements from patient medical records for use in clinical data registries. This process involves identifying, collecting, and coding data to ensure accuracy and completeness. NCDR abstraction services streamline this process, allowing healthcare organizations to focus on quality improvement and patient outcomes.

Clinical data abstraction involves the systematic collection of clinical data from patient records for use in registries, research, and quality improvement. This data abstraction process ensures that relevant information is accurately recorded and readily available for analysis. NCDR data abstraction focuses specifically on data related to cardiovascular care, contributing to improved patient outcomes and adherence to best practices.

Our clinical data abstractor training for the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) program is designed to be comprehensive and rigorous, ensuring the highest standards of accuracy and efficiency. Our training program includes:

1. Testing and Vetting: We start with a stringent testing and vetting process for all potential hires. This ensures that only those with a solid background and experience in clinical data abstraction join our team.

2. Initial Training: Experienced abstractors undergo initial training to familiarize them with our specific processes, client needs, and NCDR registry requirements. This includes detailed instruction on our data abstraction techniques, coding standards, and client-specific guidelines to ensure seamless integration into our workflows.

3. Ongoing Education: To keep up with evolving NCDR standards and guidelines, our abstractors participate in continuous education. This includes regular updates on changes to NCDR guidelines, new best practices, and advancements in data abstraction technology.

4. Quality Assurance: We implement strict quality assurance measures, including regular inter-rater reliability (IRR) assessments, to ensure our abstractors maintain the highest levels of accuracy and consistency in their work.

5. Hands-On Experience: Our training includes practical, hands-on experience with real-world NCDR data abstraction scenarios. This helps our abstractors develop the skills and confidence needed to handle the complexities of NCDR data abstraction efficiently.

6. Support and Feedback: Our abstractors receive ongoing support and feedback from our team of experienced professionals. This includes one-on-one mentoring, regular performance reviews, and access to a wealth of resources to help them continuously improve their skills.

By investing in such rigorous training, we ensure that our abstractors are well-equipped to deliver precise and reliable NCDR data abstraction services, ultimately helping our clients achieve their quality improvement goals.

The National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) aims to improve cardiovascular care by collecting and analyzing data from participating healthcare facilities. The purpose of the NCDR is to provide insights into clinical practice, promote adherence to guidelines, and enhance patient outcomes. By leveraging NCDR abstraction solutions, healthcare providers can ensure high-quality data collection, which is critical for benchmarking and performance improvement.

Given the anatomy and clinical complexity required for accurate NCDR abstractions, nurses or staff with 2 years of cardiovascular experience are often preferred. Other common non-nursing positions include Cath Lab/Rad Techs or Abstractors with other cardiac registry experience.

First of all, you’re not alone. Many teams are increasingly asked to do more with less. If your team is already at (or over!) capacity, that’s where a trusted data abstraction partner like American Data Network can help. Our team can easily scale up when you want to add a registry. That’s where ADN’s per-chart pricing really saves you precious budget dollars.

1. Enhanced Data Accuracy: Expert abstractors ensure precise and consistent data collection.
2. Cost Savings: Reduces expenses related to hiring, training, and maintaining in-house teams.
3. Focus on Performance Improvement: Frees up clinical staff to concentrate on patient care and improvement initiatives.
4. Scalability and Flexibility: Quickly adjust to changes in workload and registry requirements.
5. Specialized Expertise: Access to professionals who stay updated with the latest NCDR guidelines.
6. Improved Turnaround Times: Faster data processing to meet reporting deadlines efficiently.
7. Risk Mitigation: Continuity and stability despite staff turnover or leave.
8. Reduced Staff Stress: Lowers workload and stress on in-house staff, enhancing job satisfaction.

One reason we maintain our position as the industry leader in accuracy is our stringent vetting and testing process for new hires. Of the thousands of applicants we receive annually, only about 1.5% pass our proprietary tests designed to assess an abstractor’s knowledge and skills accurately. Our expert abstractors have an average of 23 years of experience working in healthcare settings as nurses, doctors, and quality managers or staff. Many also hold the CPHQ credential or are working towards it.

ADN’s abstraction team makes weekly progress on all populations, with a typical turnaround time of 30 days after we receive your patient lists. While a 30-day turnaround is most common, we work closely with our clients to align timelines with their established processes. ADN has the resources and personnel to ramp up quickly and meet your NCDR abstraction needs.

Inter-Rater Reliability (IRR) is performed throughout the clinical data lifecycle on a sample of cases for each registry ADN abstracts for your organization. Initially, IRR is conducted at the beginning of the engagement, prior to starting the data abstraction assignment, to ensure our abstractors understand your documentation tendencies. Our team then performs routine IRR to maintain accuracy standards. Additionally, certain events can trigger ADN to perform IRR outside the regular schedule, including specification changes to measures or registries, expansions of our scope of work, or the assignment of a new abstractor to your account. IRR is a key component of any successful NCDR abstraction program and is inherent to ADN’s abstraction solution. Be sure to check out our Comprehensive IRR Guide for Clinical Data Abstraction.

During the initial logistics meeting, we will work closely with your team to establish exactly how to handle communication around fallouts. Your team will continue to monitor opportunities for improvement (OFIs) by running and reviewing reports available in your data collection tool. ADN commonly utilizes a shared spreadsheet to track OFIs within specific measure sets and registries. Additionally, your ADN account lead can attend regular meetings where improvement opportunities are discussed, using the hourly management fee to handle compensation.

Yes, ADN can assume full responsibility or partner with your team to optimize registry management processes, which include overseeing program requirements, evidence-based guidelines, abstraction specifications, submission standards and deadlines, dashboard updates, reporting and benchmarking analyses, data validation, and more. This work can be resource-intensive and time-consuming for busy healthcare teams, making outsourcing a worthwhile consideration. Utilize ADN’s registry management services to ensure your NCDR program is efficient, compliant, and impactful. Also, check out our feature on 5 Best Practices for Effectively Managing Your NCDR Registry.

Your dedicated ADN account lead will provide feedback throughout your engagement with ADN, ensuring that all abstractors assigned to your account function as an extension of your NCDR team. ADN can also offer additional consulting services beyond chart abstraction, including follow-up, special reports, or analytics, with compensation handled through an hourly fee.