title: Data linkage capabilities in Australia: practical issues identified by a Population Health Research Network 'Proof of Concept project'.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the practical issues that need to be overcome to conduct national data linkage projects in Australia and propose recommendations to improve efficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of the processes, documentation and applications required to conduct national data linkage in Australia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The establishment of state and national data linkage centres in Australia has placed Australia at the forefront of research linking health-related administrative data collections. However, improvements are needed to reduce the clerical burden on researchers, simplify the process of obtaining ethics approval, improve data accessibility, and thus improve the efficiency of data linkage research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While a sound state and national data linkage infrastructure is in place, the current complexity, duplication and lack of cohesion undermines any attempts to conduct research involving national record linkage in a timely manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data linkage applications and Human Research Ethics Committee approval processes need to be streamlined and duplication removed, in order to reduce the administrative and financial burden on researchers if national data linkage research is to be viable.
authors.affiliation: Transport and Road Safety Research, University of New South Wales.
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University, Queensland.|Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Queensland.
authors.forename: Cate M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Harvard School of Public Health, United States.
authors.forename: Rod J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: McClure
authors.affiliation: Transport and Road Safety Research, University of New South Wales.
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Williamson
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D012108:Research Personnel
keywords: data linkage; health administrative data; research