Evaluating the validity of quality indicators for colorectal cancer care

Background Quality indicators (QI) have been developed to measure quality of colorectal cancer care in the Netherlands. The aim of this study is to evaluate if these QI consistently assess the quality of colorectal cancer care in a hospital (internal consistency) and if these QI correlate with each other (construct validity). Methods The performance of 85 hospitals participating in the Dutch Surgical Colorectal Audit between the 1st of January 2010 and 31st of December 2010, were evaluated on nine QI: three process indicators for colon cancer, three process indicators for rectal cancer and three outcome indicators. Consistency between all process indicators was assessed, and correlations between all process and outcome indicators were evaluated for colon and rectal cancer care separately. Results Hospital performance on the nine QI ranged widely. There was little consistency between the process indicators in assessing hospital performance. Most evaluated process indicators for colorectal cancer care did not correlate with each other, but were associated with better hospital specific patient outcomes. Conclusion QI on colorectal cancer care do provide complementary information. Individual QI are not suitable as a surrogate measure for the quality of colorectal cancer care. More comprehensive measures are needed for true assessment of hospital performance. J. Surg. Oncol. 2013; 108:465–471. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.