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Evaluation of Healthcare Interventions and Big Data: Review of Associated Data Issues

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Abstract

Although the analysis of ‘big data’ holds tremendous potential to improve patient care, there remain significant challenges before it can be realized. Accuracy and completeness of data, linkage of disparate data sources, and access to data are areas that require particular focus. This article discusses these areas and shares strategies to promote progress. Improvement in clinical coding, innovative matching methodologies, and investment in data standardization are potential solutions to data validation and linkage problems. Challenges to data access still require significant attention with data ownership, security needs, and costs representing significant barriers to access.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to express thanks to Marie McWhirter from the University of Illinois, College of Medicine at Peoria for her administrative assistance. All authors contributed significantly to the drafting and revision of the manuscript and approved the final version.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Outcomes Research, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, 1 Illini Dr, Peoria, IL, 61605, USA

    Carl V. Asche & Meredith Greer Baumgartner

  2. Global Health Outcomes, Takeda, Bedford, MA, USA

    Brian Seal

  3. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, 1 Health Plaza, East Hanover, NJ, 07936, USA

    Kristijan H. Kahler

  4. Pharmaceutical Heath Services Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Elisabeth M. Oehrlein

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  1. Carl V. Asche
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  5. Meredith Greer Baumgartner
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Correspondence to Carl V. Asche.

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Carl Asche, Brian Seal, Kristijan Kahler, Elisabeth Oehrlein, and Meredith Baumgartner have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Asche, C.V., Seal, B., Kahler, K.H. et al. Evaluation of Healthcare Interventions and Big Data: Review of Associated Data Issues. PharmacoEconomics 35, 759–765 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40273-017-0513-5

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