title: A valuable approach to the use of electronic medical data in primary care research: Panning for gold.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electronic medical data (EMD) from electronic health records of general practice computer systems have enormous research potential, yet many variables are unreliable.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare selected data variables from general practice EMD with a reliable, representative national dataset (Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH)) in order to validate their use for primary care research.
  
  
  METHODS
  EMD variables were compared with encounter data from the nationally representative BEACH program using χ2tests and robust 95% confidence intervals to test their validity (measure what they reportedly measure). The variables focused on for this study were patient age, sex, smoking status and medications prescribed at the visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The EMD sample from six general practices in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia, yielded data on 196,515 patient encounters. Details of 90,553 encounters were recorded in the 2013 BEACH dataset from 924 general practitioners. No significant differences in patient age ( p = 0.36) or sex ( p = 0.39) were found. EMD had a lower rate of current smokers and higher average scripts per visit, but similar prescribing distribution patterns.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Validating EMD variables offers avenues for improving primary care delivery and measuring outcomes of care to inform clinical practice and health policy.
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Wollongong, Australia.|2 Illawarra & Southern Practice Research Network, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.affiliation: 3 University of Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Wollongong, Australia.|2 Illawarra & Southern Practice Research Network, Australia.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hodgkins
authors.affiliation: 3 University of Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: 4 COORDINARE - South Eastern New South Wales Primary Health Network, Australia.
authors.forename: Abhijeet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dijkmans-Hadley
authors.affiliation: 3 University of Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Britt
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Wollongong, Australia.|2 Illawarra & Southern Practice Research Network, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D011320:Primary Health Care
keywords: data quality; electronic health records; general practice; health information management; primary health care