SAATSdata holds de-identified case information collected by SAATS and NFSSAS across Aotearoa New Zealand.
The information collected is used to:
inform the development of evidence-based medical and forensic practices
monitor for provision of equitable access to services across the country, and
allow for audit and evaluation of services provided by SAATS and NFSSAS clinicians.
SAATSdata is designed to capture each patient event through the details required for clinical audits, reporting and billing purposes. No patient names or date of birth is recorded – patients can only be identified by the examining service ("the source").
SAATSdata security
SAATSdata was developed by the New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science (PHF Science) using a software system that meets the NZ government standard for the highest level of security.
A Cloud Risk Assessment was completed by MEDSAC and PHF Science on behalf of SAATS. This was endorsed by the Department of Internal Affairs. A full Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) was also completed, in consultation with the Privacy Commissioner.
Access to SAATSdata
The database is intended to be an audit tool for SAATS and NFSSAS. It can only be accessed by authorised users.
The information within the SAATSdata portal is generated by SAATS and NFSSAS services across the motu. MEDSAC uses this information to provide regional and national reporting to funding bodies on behalf of these services.
The information held in SAATSdata will not be made available for research purposes. Requests for research proposals will be directed to the individual service/s and will need to meet all relevant external requirements, such as ethics approval and locality assessments, as per standard processes.
The Health and Disability Ethics Committee (HDEC) was consulted in the process of the database development and confirmed that SAATSdata is outside the scope of HDEC review when used as intended.