Schneider Institutes for Health Policy
Research Publication Summary
| Citation: | Garnick DW, Hendricks AM, Comstock CB, Pryor DB (1996). A Guide to Using Administrative Data for Medical Effectiveness Research. The Journal of Outcomes Management 3 (1): 18-23. |
| Abstract Administrative datasets maintained by private health insurers and large managed care organizations can be powerful tools for medical effectiveness research. Four types of administrative data are needed to conduct adequate data bases for such research: patient characteristics; medical care utilization; insurance plan information; and market area characteristics. To begin to unlock the potential of these datasets, however, researchers must address the inherent methodological issues that can influence empirical results and, consequently, policy decisions. With the limitations of today's datasets in mind, the authors offer a two-step "guide" to determining the suitablility of current administrative datasets for medical effectiveness research. First, they suggest that researchers examine the challenges of each type of data; then, based on this assessment, they pose a set of core questions researchers should then be well-positioned to ask of insurers and managed care organizations pertaining to data reliability and quality. The four types of data and their uses are described in relation to research on treatment for ischemic heart disease. | |
| Research Area: | Acute and Chronic Health Care |
| Core Competencies: | Costs & Value, Quality |
