Big Data - and its contributions to peri-operative medicine

Big Data – of the people, for the people, by the people

“…Our experience reiterates the concerns of others [2][3][4] who have stressed the importance of active involvement of anaesthetists in order to reduce inaccuracies in the data collection and entry process. However, data collection and entry for just the three months of the ASAP collection period involved a considerable amount of consultant anaesthetic time, such as is probably unfeasible in the longer term.…”

“…Indeed, after initial observation, 'railroading' of the tracheal tube over the bougie is performed blind in a significant proportion of cases [3]. The same study found that 7.5% of bougieassisted intubations failed on the first attempt, although the failure rate is often higher [4]. However, because of a poor view it is impossible to quantify how many of these are displaced (from the trachea) rather than misplaced (i.e.…”

“…never in the trachea). Secondly, without a proper view and by restraining from use of the hold-up endpoint [5], the operator relies on subjectively feeling tracheal rings at the bougie's tip [4], which does not give an indication of depth of insertion [3]. Lastly, use of a bougie is a twoperson technique, which introduces difficulties related to co-ordination of direction and force, potentially leading to displacement.…”

The feasibility of using ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) technology for electronic data capture in multicentre medical audit and research

“…The utility of large observational audit and research projects in anaesthesia and peri-operative medicine depends on accurate, contemporaneous, electronic data collection [1,2], without compromising personal data protection. Traditionally, such data have been collected using paper-based forms transcribed in time to varying types of electronic database, hosted on local hospital computers, local hospital servers or a remote server accessed through a web-based interface, particularly in multicentre studies [1].…”

“…Traditionally, such data have been collected using paper-based forms transcribed in time to varying types of electronic database, hosted on local hospital computers, local hospital servers or a remote server accessed through a web-based interface, particularly in multicentre studies [1]. This method requires data collection and entry steps that are often time-consuming, occasionally inaccurate and rarely user friendly, reducing the completeness of data entry and so potentially introducing selection, attrition and recording biases into the results of a study.…”