Assessment of accuracy of Australian health service death data: implications for the audits of surgical mortality.

Background: The Victorian Audit of Surgical Mortality (VASM) investigates all surgically related deaths in Victoria, Australia, as a surgical educational activity aimed to make surgery safer. Whilst data collected within the audit are regularly reviewed for accuracy, there has never been a review of the data provided from health services.

Methods: Two-year death data provided by one Victorian health service were reviewed.