Web-Based Platform for the Chilean Cardiac Surgery Registry: Algorithm Development and Validation Study.

Abstract

Background: Cardiac surgeries in Chile lack a national registry for systematic data collection and analysis, limiting insights into procedural outcomes and patient demographics. In response to this gap, we developed a web-based platform to support the documentation of high-complexity cardiac surgeries.

Objective: This study aimed to design, develop, and implement a cardiac surgery data collection and analysis platform that conforms to international standards to support clinical decision-making and research initiatives.

Methods: A web-based platform was developed using the model-view-controller architecture, incorporating input from health care professionals and based on the fourth European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery adult cardiac surgical database report. The platform captures more than 160 clinical variables across 15 categories, spanning preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative stages.

Results: The most significant outcome of this study is the development of the first online platform for documenting cardiac surgeries in Chile. Since its implementation in 2014, the platform has documented more than 4800 cardiac surgeries, establishing it as the largest database for a single institution in Latin America. The platform offers real-time access to data, supports planning and resource allocation, and enables the systematic evaluation of clinical outcomes. Integrating the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II risk model enables a standardized assessment of mortality risk.

Conclusions: The platform contributes to the collection of cardiac surgery data in Chile, enabling evidence-based clinical decision-making and informed public health planning. It has documented cardiac surgeries for 10 years and has become the official registry tool for cardiac surgeries. By 2026, its application will be extended to 2 more centers, with the expectation that it will soon become the national database of cardiac surgeries. Future developments should improve scalability, interoperability, and data analysis to establish a national registry and further align Chilean cardiac surgery practices with international standards.