Data Quality

DATA QUALITY

The credibility of any analysis using CO APCD data is directly related to the validity of the data submitted and care with which it is processed. CIVHC has always made data quality a top priority and, in 2020, the new federal funding allowed for the creation of a dedicated data quality team. Now furnished with needed resources, new quality initiatives are underway which aim to improve not only the data in the warehouse but also the claim files coming in each month, quality assurance of every release, and CIVHC’s ability to communicate about aspects of CO APCD data with stakeholders.

WHAT DOES “DATA QUALITY” MEAN?

Claims data submitted by various payers using different systems is often more complex than other types of data typically encountered by analysts and researchers. If not prepared for the unique challenges it presents, it is easy to conclude that something is wrong with the data.

The phrase “data quality” is frequently used as a catch-all to indicate a variety of concerns that may not have anything to do with the actual quality of the data itself but other characteristics that are not readily defined. Often, the term is used when something unexpected, undesired, or seemingly incorrect is discovered – it becomes a “data quality problem.” CIVHC has defined quality in five critical categories each with unique challenges that can occur: submission/intake, processing, accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.