Jessica Wood, Graeme MacLennan & Jemma Hudson Record linkage of trial datasets to hospital admission records: a trial manager’s experience Suzanne Breeman Jessica Wood, Graeme MacLennan & Jemma Hudson
Background Different types of outcome data Various methods of collecting outcome data Collection of outcomes from participants can be challenging
Clinical outcomes Clinical outcomes that involve the use of health services Record linkage of trial datasets to routine datasets may be an option Linked through unique identifiers Two surgical RCTs that used a dual model of data collection of clinical outcomes
Case studies KAT Examined three key aspects of TKR design Functional status using the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) Need for additional knee surgery eTHoS Compared two surgical treatments for haemorrhoids Generic Quality of life - EQ-5D Need for recurrence surgery
Acknowledgment KAT (Project number 95/10/01) and eTHoS (Project number 08/24/02) were funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment Programme The views and opinions expressed therein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the HTA programme, NIHR, NHS or the Department of Health.
Application process Consent process Lengthy application process Extensive data security checks Data classification
Advantages Overcomes issues with participant retention Reduced the level of missing data Approx. 20% of relevant hospital readmissions identified through routine data only Approx. 70% match between data sources Inconsistencies?
Inconsistencies KAT Contacted hospital to collect information directly from patients’ notes Only reports that were verified were included in the analyses eTHoS Participant report treated as ‘correct’ version when inconsistency could not be verified
Summary Collection of outcome data in RCTs can be challenging Clinical outcomes (hospital readmissions) can be collected through record linkage Time consuming process/need to plan ahead Overcome issues with participant retention
Thank for your attention. If you have any further questions please contact: Suzanne Breeman s.breeman@abdn.ac.uk www.abdn.ac.uk/hsru/chart hsru_aberdeen