title: Brief Report: Databases in the Asia-Pacific Region: The Potential for a Distributed Network Approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study describes the availability and characteristics of databases in Asian-Pacific countries and assesses the feasibility of a distributed network approach in the region.
  
  
  METHODS
  A web-based survey was conducted among investigators using healthcare databases in the Asia-Pacific countries. Potential survey participants were identified through the Asian Pharmacoepidemiology Network.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Investigators from a total of 11 databases participated in the survey. Database sources included four nationwide claims databases from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan; two nationwide electronic health records from Hong Kong and Singapore; a regional electronic health record from western China; two electronic health records from Thailand; and cancer and stroke registries from Taiwan.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We identified 11 databases with capabilities for distributed network approaches. Many country-specific coding systems and terminologies have been already converted to international coding systems. The harmonization of health expenditure data is a major obstacle for future investigations attempting to evaluate issues related to medical costs.
authors.affiliation: From the aDuke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC; bSchool of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; cCentre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; dSchool of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia; eCenter for Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand; fSchool of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI; gSchool of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; hGraduate Institute of Clinical Medicine Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; iDepartment of Pharmacoepidemiology, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; jDepartment of Epidemiology, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson, Singapore, Singapore; kDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; lOffice of Drug Utilization Review, Korea Institute of Drug Safety and Risk Management, Seoul, South Korea; mQuality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia; nPharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand; and oInstitute of Hospital Management, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Edward Chia-Cheng
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Kenneth K C
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Man
authors.forename: Nathorn
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chaiyakunapruk
authors.forename: Ching-Lan
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Hsu-Chih
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: Celine S L
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chui
authors.forename: Piyameth
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dilokthornsakul
authors.forename: N Chantelle
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: Cheng-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Chung Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Tzu-Chieh
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yanfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Byung Joo
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pratt
authors.forename: Elizabeth E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Roughead
authors.forename: Ju-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Sawaeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watcharathanakij
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Ian C K
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Yea-Huei Kao
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yinghong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Soko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Setoguchi
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D059019:Clinical Coding; D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D016208:Databases, Factual; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D007348:Insurance, Health; D007564:Japan; D009369:Neoplasms; D017891:Pharmacoepidemiology; D012042:Registries; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012846:Singapore; D020521:Stroke; D013624:Taiwan; D013785:Thailand