Self-reported information is feedback about outcomes and experiences collected from patients, carers, the community and staff. It tells us what matters to them and is essential for delivering high-quality care.
It also guides decision-making and enables measurement and analysis at the individual, service and system levels to drive continuous quality improvement and inform service delivery and planning.
Routine and systematic collection of self-reported information can be used across all levels of the health system including at the:
For more information about self-reported information, read the Self-reported information fact sheet.
Survey streams are different styles of surveys that can be used for understanding the outcomes and experiences of patients, carers, the community and staff.
There are four self-reported information survey streams:
Information collected via a survey within 72 hours of a clinical interaction for rapid-cycle safety and quality improvement.
Representative information, collected via a survey following a clinical interaction when outcomes have materialised, for fair comparison and performance measurement along the care journey and across the health system.
Information collected via a survey before or during a clinical interaction to inform real-time shared care planning and clinical decision making. This information is intentionally identifiable so healthcare providers can use it with patients to inform care. It can also be collected longitudinally to enable analysis of trends over time for the individual or patient cohort.
Representative or census-based information collected via a survey about health behaviours, status, risk factors and general experiences to inform the design and monitoring of preventative health programs, system planning and performance measurement.
Statewide self-reported information collections are a data set collected by NSW Health through statewide and local health districts/specialty health networks as well as by other state and national health/government organisations.
Examples of statewide collections can be found in the Self-reported information survey streams and collections fact sheet.
A system-wide approach is being developed for the collection, use and response to self-reported information.
NSW Health is strengthening and streamlining experience and outcome measurement by:
A consistent and coordinated system-wide approach to the collection and use of self-reported information will provide more meaningful insights into health outcomes and experiences at the individual, service and system levels.
Strengthened and streamlined self-reported information can:
For more information please contact MOH-PatientMeasures@health.nsw.gov.au