A standardized data collection tool.

To successfully integrate data collection into the staff's responsibilities, the process must be simple, concise, and easy to use. The data collection tool described in this article includes all the important information at a glance, permits easy comparison with projected and actual thresholds, and analysis of data with follow-up action. It reduces the volumes of paperwork required in many systems. Since the indicators are written on only one paper, there is a reduction in transcription time. Additionally, one paper that contains a sample of twenty should be adequate for a unit-based indicator. Use of this tool reduces the number of papers that must be handled by the QA coordinator as well. Finally, the tool is flexible enough to use in a variety of settings.