Table 1 Sources of two different types of observational data
From: Implementation of the trial emulation approach in medical research: a scoping review
Research-generated data | Non-research generated data |
|---|---|
Epidemiological studies | EHRs/EMRs |
Data from cohort, cross-sectional, and case–control studies. | EHRs are digital records of patients’ medical data. Data stored in EHRs are structured (i.e. tabular data) and unstructured (e.g. free-text in clinical notes or image reports) [7]. |
Patient registries | National registry |
A patient registry is an organised collection of uniform data to evaluate a pre-specified outcome(s) for a population with a specific disease, condition, or exposure [8]. | A national registry collects uniform demographics and/or health related data on all its respective country nationals [9]. |
Biobanks | Health insurance claims databases |
A biobank collects biological samples and in-depth health information on a specific group of people [10]. | A health insurance claims database collects data entered on bills (claims) by hospitals, nursing homes, etc. [11]. |