Data linkages for research on outcomes of long-term care.
Medicaid claims were linked with a sample of data gathered for nursing home quality assurance and case mix reimbursement (N = 14,917). This generated patient level records of medical resource use combined with standardized assessments of health and functional status. We describe the linkage process and the characteristics of the combined set of information-its strengths, limitations, and potential uses. The two data sources, one cross-sectional and the other longitudinal, complemented one another and provided a more complete description of patient resource use and health status. However, methodological and ethical issues must be resolved before data linkages are used routinely for research.
Lipowski
E E
EE
College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610-0496, USA.
Bigelow
W E
WE
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012106:Research; D014481:United States