Feasibility of routine collection of injured worker occupational information in hospital emergency departments.

The cost and social impact of work-related injury are considerable and, therefore, it is important to develop effective and cost-effective interventions. Fundamental to the injury prevention process is access to a complete and accurate set of information about the incidence and nature of the injuries. Unfortunately, the full extent of work-related injuries is unknown, as many medical data systems do not routinely collect reliable and detailed occupational information. The Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) is the principal information system used by hospital emergency departments across the state of Victoria, and this electronic database collects no specific occupational information concerning injured workers. The value of injury surveillance data relies on its accuracy and completeness. Failure to accurately record or code information, or inability to capture most of the relevant cases can result in data that are biased and misleading. The heavy workloads faced by hospital staff, in the busy environment of an emergency department, have the potential to compromise data collection. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of hospital staff regularly collecting reliable occupational information on injured workers in emergency departments at Victorian hospitals.