Developing a national quality registry for hand surgery: challenges and opportunities

The Scandinavian National Healthcare Quality Registries (NQRs) have brought about considerable improvements since their introduction in the 1970s. One such registry - HAKIR ('hand surgery') - was established in 2010 and was likely the first NQR for hand surgery. Patient-reported outcome and reoperations due to postoperative complications are registered in HAKIR, as well as hand function in selected groups of surgical procedures. Creating simple logistics for collecting data and careful planning are important factors when establishing a new NQR. Continuous surveillance of data validity and coverage are crucial for success. With perseverance, large databases for clinical research can be created, along with the establishment of national multi-professional collaboration in healthcare improvement work.