13 September 2022

The annual review of the Department of Health's key data collection is underway.

The annual change process for the Department of Health’s key data collection is in full swing, with change proposals for 2023-24 received and due to be distributed for comment during October.

The process is a yearly review to ensure health data collected in Victoria assists planning and policy development, reflects changes in hospital funding and service provision arrangements, supports reporting obligations and incorporates feedback on improvements from data providers.

The process is managed by VAHI’s Health Services Data team and covers collections including the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset (VAED), Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD), Victorian Integrated Non-Admitted Health (VINAH), Elective Surgery Information System (ESIS) and Agency Information Management System (AIMS). A similar but separate process is also in place for the Victorian Perinatal Data Collection (VPDC).

Proposals may be related to adding or deleting data elements, changing an existing code set, amending business rules or validations, or updating reporting guides.

The deadline for 2023-24 proposals was 26 August, with proposals now being reviewed for the quality and completeness of documentation before being submitted to the Department’s Annual Changes Governance Committee (ACGC).

Following ACGC review, accepted proposals will be distributed for comment to all Victorian public hospitals and other key stakeholders in October. Proposals will also be published on the HDSS website where a feedback proforma will be available. Feedback on the proposals is welcomed.

Following the period of stakeholder consultation, the ACGC assesses each proposal against a set of criteria, taking into account feedback received. Recommendations on what changes to make will be made to the Deputy Secretary, Commissioning and Service Improvement within the Department in early December.

Final data collection specifications for 2023-24 are due to be released by the end of 2022, for implementation by 1 July 2023.

For more information on the annual change process, including full timelines and change proposal submission templates, visit health.vic.gov.au/data-reporting/annual-changes