What quality control steps are used to ensure data accuracy?
To have their success rates published in this annual report, clinics have to submit their data in time for analysis and the clinics medical directors have to verify by signature that the tabulated success rates are accurate. After the data have been verified, a quality control process called validation begins. This year, 39 of 399 reporting clinics were selected for site visits. Two members of the SART Validation Committee visited these clinics and compared medical record data for a sample of the clinics ART cycles with the data submitted for the report. CDC staff members participated as observers in some of the visits. For each clinic, the sample of cycles validated included all cycles that were reported to have ended in a live birth and a random sample of up to 50 additional cycles. In almost all cases, data on pregnancies and births in the medical records were consistent with reported data. Validation primarily helps ensure that clinics are being careful to submit accurate data. It
To have their success rates published in this annual report, clinics have to submit their data in time for analysis and the clinics’ medical directors have to verify by signature that the tabulated success rates are accurate. After the data have been verified, a quality control process called validation begins. This year, 30 of 391 reporting clinics were selected for site visits. Two members of the SART Validation Committee visited these clinics and compared medical record data for a sample of the clinic’s ART cycles with the data submitted for the report. CDC staff members participated as observers in some of the visits. For each clinic, the sample of cycles validated included all cycles that were reported to have ended in a live birth and a random sample of up to 50 additional cycles. In almost all cases, data on pregnancies and births in the medical records were consistent with reported data. Validation primarily helps ensure that clinics are being careful to submit accurate data. I
