HPB (AUGIS HPB Cancer Resection database)

The AUGIS HPB Cancer Resection database was launched at the Annual Meeting in Nottingham in September 2009 (http://nww.hpbaudit.nhs.uk). This project has proved to be demanding and has required considerable effort and time by all concerned. I am grateful for the support and input offered by my HPB colleagues.

The audit is web-based and a coordinator is based in Leicester - (jill.cooke@uhl-tr.nhs.uk) to ensure accurate and complete data collection. Briefly, the data fields were agreed following an extensive literature review which identified those factors shown to influence outcome and only these data fields have been included in the dataset. The format is a simple click-box format and is designed to be user friendly and takes only 2-3 minutes to enter the complete dataset for any of the tumours collected – liver, biliary or pancreatic, each set containing around 50 data fields.

The data are collected on nhs.net which is secure but there is an additional facility (on an international server) to collect data if access to nhs.net is not available.

Access the database, along with details of a ‘Quick-start’ pack that has been developed and how to obtain user names and passwords can be obtained from the coordinator.

It is anticipated that the database will expand to include all HPB patients (given appropriate funding and support) but at present collecting accurate, national cancer resection data will represent a major step forward and will undoubtedly become an essential part of surgical revalidation.

In addition to the cancer resection audit, we have also launched an international audit of Liver Ablation and the International Ablation database can be accessed via http://mta.emdt.net:8080/emdt/login.jsp. This database is housed on its own server and allows international access creating the great added advantage of allowing access for all clinicians who wish to enter HPB or Ablation data but who do not have access to nhs.net. Details of access/passwords are available from the HPB coordinator (jill.cooke@uhl-tr.nhs.uk).

The success of these audits depends on already busy clinicians entering data and so we continue to explore possibilities to facilitate this process and encourage as many clinicians as possible to enter data on a regular basis. It is anticipated that the first annual report from both datasets will be made at the 2010 Annual meeting in Oxford.

For any further information please contact me on: david.berry@uhl-tr.nhs.uk

Mr David P Berry
Consultant HPB Surgeon, University Hospitals of Leicester
Chair of AUGIS Audit Committee