title: Features of physician services databases in Canada.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physician services databases (PSDs) are a valuable resource for research and surveillance in Canada. However, because the provinces and territories collect and maintain separate databases, data elements are not standardized. This study compared major features of PSDs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary source was a survey of key informants that collected information about years of data, patient/provider characteristics, database inclusions/exclusions, coding of diagnoses, procedures and service locations. Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information's (CIHI) National Physician Database were used to examine physician remuneration methods, which may affect PSD completeness. Survey data were obtained for nine provinces and two territories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most databases contained post-1990 records. Diagnoses were frequently recorded using ICD-9 codes. Other coding systems differed across jurisdictions and time, although all PSDs identified in-hospital services and distinguished family medicine from other specialties. Capture of non-fee-for-service records varied and CIHI data revealed an increasing proportion of non-fee-for-service physicians over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further research is needed to investigate the potential effects of PSD differences on comparability of findings from pan-Canadian studies.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. lisa.lix@usask.ca
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lix
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nesdole
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D003625:Data Collection / Q000592:standards*; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000592:standards*; D063005:Health Information Systems / Q000592:standards*; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D038801:International Classification of Diseases / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008331:Management Information Systems / Q000592:standards*; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D010820:Physicians / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D060926:Remuneration; D013038:Specialization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data