Psychiatric basic documentation in practice: how reliable is the data?

Objective: To assess the quality of data recorded using a modified version of the German Psychiatric Basic Documentation (BADO) and to use this assessment as the basis for the development of a short version of the BADO.

Methods: BADO codings of a random sample of 200 admitted cases in 2007 were compared to information retrieved from computer-based records for the same patients.

Results: In general, the quality of data recorded using the BADO was good, particularly in terms of the accuracy and the completeness of the data. However, a comparative analysis of the data suggests that ambiguities in the coding of particular BADO items might reduce their sensitivity and precision.

Conclusions: Data recorded using the BADO is fit for the purposes of quality management and, with some limitations, for research applications. The short version of the BADO developed using the results of the evaluation, significantly enhances its user-friendliness and increases the reliability of the coded data.