The Perinatal Data Standards Project

Who & What?

The Perinatal Data Set was developed and defined through a collaborative partnership among the British Columbia Perinatal Health Program (BCPHP), formerly known as the BC Reproductive Care Program (BCRCP), the British Columbia Vital Statistics Agency (VSA) and the British Columbia Public Health Nursing Leaders Council (PHNLC). The Perinatal Data Set is a standarized set of comprehensive data elements that could be used to establish and monitor the quality of perinatal services encompassing the entire perinatal event, starting from the initial antenatal care to birth registration and initial post delivery follow-up. The Perinatal Data Set is a widespread collection of data elements necessary for the surveillance and optimization of Neonatal, Maternal and Fetal health in British Columbia.

Why?

With the ever-growing need for current timely data coupled with the impetus for the implementation of the EHR, the need to establish standardized definitions and predefined specifications for electronic communication have become paramount. The initiative to define the Provincial Perinatal Data Set was conceived at a meeting hosted by the Ministry of Health (MoH) to discuss the data standards pertaining to the BC Perinatal Database Registry (BCPDR) maintained by the BC Perinatal Health Program. Given that many of the data elements in the BC Perinatal Database Registry are common to data being collected by both the Vital Statistics Agency and Public Health Nursing Leaders Council, the MoH encouraged the aforementioned provincial agencies to work together in defining a Perinatal Data Set that could be used to establish and monitor quality of perinatal services in BC.

How?

The Perinatal Data Set  was collectively submitted to the BC eHealth Information Standards Council (BCeHISC) in December 2007 for review and acceptance of its data elements as the official data standard for perinatal care in the province of British Columbia.

The BCeHISC is intended to facilitate and oversee the provincial health information and technology standards management and approval process. In doing this, it is to support the strategic direction of the British Columbia eHealth Steering Committee in its province-wide implementation of eHealth, and encourage timely information sharing and constructive dialogue with health information stakeholders and with the broader public. EHISC brings together an informed and experienced group of health system experts, including physician, dentist, nurse and pharmacist representatives, BC university representatives, ministry and health authority staff, as well as other technical specialists.

View the Data Standards Package- ( PDF file)

For more information please contact the BC Perinatal Health Program at: (604) 875-3737