Abstract
Background
Health services research (HSR) is of increasing relevance to scientists, health-care providers, and clinicians. Complex population-based secondary data are a key source of information for analyses of health-care effects in radiation oncology.
Methods
In this short paper, we examine potential applications of secondary data focusing on statistics from the diagnosis-related groups (DRG). This data set incorporating all hospitalized cases in Germany is based on claims of reimbursements and is provided by the Research Data Centers (RDC) of the Federal Statistical Office and the Statistical Offices of the federal states. A short outlook regarding other data sources is also presented.
Results
In radiation oncology, secondary data such as the DRG statistics have rarely been used to examine health-care effects, despite their great potential for reporting effects in a broad population-based setting. Furthermore, for most data sources, the application to use these data is accessible with minor effort. However, data concerning outpatient care are difficult to analyze on a comparable level.
Conclusion
DRG statistics and related secondary data provide a remarkable source of information for analyses of health-care-related effects in radiation oncology.
Zusammenfassung
Hintergrund
Versorgungsforschung gewinnt für Wissenschaftler, Gesundheitsdienstleister und Kliniker zunehmend an Relevanz. Komplexe bevölkerungsbasierte Sekundärdaten sind eine wichtige Quelle zur Untersuchung von Versorgungseffekten in der Radioonkologie.
Methoden
In diesem kurzen Artikel untersuchen die Autoren mögliche Anwendungen von Sekundärdaten, wobei der Schwerpunkt auf der fallpauschalenbezogenen Krankenhausstatistik (DRG-Statistik, Diagnosis Related Groups) liegen soll. Dieser Datensatz bezieht alle Krankenhausfälle in Deutschland ein und wird von den Forschungsdatenzentren (FDZ) des Statistischen Bundesamts und der Statistischen Ämter der Länder zur Verfügung gestellt. Ein kurzer Ausblick auf andere Datenquellen wird ebenfalls gegeben.
Ergebnisse
In der Radioonkologie wurden Sekundärdaten, wie z. B. die DRG-Statistik, trotz ihres Potenzials zur Analyse der Versorgungssituation auf einer bevölkerungsbezogenen Ebene bisher nur unzureichend genutzt. Gleichzeitig ist die Nutzung dieser Daten in der Mehrzahl der Fälle mit geringem Aufwand möglich. Allerdings gestaltet sich die Analyse von Daten aus dem ambulanten Bereich deutlich schwieriger.
Schlussfolgerung
Die DRG-Statistik und verwandte Sekundärdaten bieten eine bedeutende Quelle für Analysen gesundheitsbezogener Effekte in der Radioonkologie.
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D. Medenwald, C.T. Dietzel, and D. Vordermark declare that they have no competing interests.
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Medenwald, D., Dietzel, C.T. & Vordermark, D. Health services research in German radiation oncology: new opportunities to advance cancer care. Strahlenther Onkol 194, 1097–1102 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-018-1357-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-018-1357-4