Background The WHO Dataset for Emergency Care (DSEC) is the minimum set of recommended data elements for effective monitoring and quality improvement of emergency care. This dataset builds from the well-established WHO Dataset for Injury (DSI), encompassing a broader spectrum of variables essential for enhancing the monitoring, evaluation, and overall quality improvement of emergency care services.

Objective To develop a comprehensive WHO DSEC to help standardise data collection related to emergency care presentations and strengthen the quality, efficiency, and research capacity of emergency care services.

Methodology DSEC development built on the exiting DSI through a global consensus process, including a meeting at Utstein Abbey, bringing together a diverse group of global emergency care experts. Using the well-established consensus-building methodology employed in the Utstein process, we gathered insights, feedback, and recommendations from experts representing a wide range of settings, including clinical providers, public sector, academia, and global professional societies. The iterative nature of this process facilitated the refinement of the dataset, resulting in a robust and globally informed standardised DSEC.

Outcomes and Learnings The DSEC will facilitate standardised data collection for emergency care. With the inclusion of variables critical for effective monitoring and quality improvement, the dataset will support targeted quality improvement initiatives, and will help improve efficiency, quality of care, and, ultimately, patient outcomes.

Implications DSEC’s development has potential for broader application and adaptation in different contexts. The consensus-building methodology can be used to create standardised datasets beyond emergency care. The inclusion of a diverse range of experts ensures that the outcomes of similar initiatives can be applied in a variety of settings, increasing adaptability, relevance, and sustainability.

Conclusions The WHO DSEC aims to standardise data collection and include variables for effective monitoring, and to support targeted quality improvement initiatives. It was created in an iterative consensus-building process.