Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26386702›Full record

ArticlePharmacoEconomics2016

Validation of the Hospital Episode Statistics Outpatient Dataset in England.

Joanna C Thorn, Emma Turner, Luke Hounsome, Eleanor Walsh, Jenny L Donovan, Julia Verne, David E Neal, Freddie C Hamdy, Richard M Martin, Sian M Noble

Abstract readValidation Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in PharmacoEconomics, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 32 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
32citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

32 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Joanna C ThornSchool of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol, BS8 2PS, UK. joanna.thorn@bristol.ac.uk.
Emma TurnerSchool of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol, BS8 2PS, UK.
Luke HounsomePublic Health England Knowledge and Intelligence Team (South West), 2 Rivergate, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6EH, UK.
Eleanor WalshSchool of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol, BS8 2PS, UK.
Jenny L DonovanSchool of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol, BS8 2PS, UK.
Julia VernePublic Health England Knowledge and Intelligence Team (South West), 2 Rivergate, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6EH, UK.
David E NealDepartment of Oncology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Box 279 (S4), Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
Freddie C HamdyNuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK.
Richard M MartinSchool of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol, BS8 2PS, UK.
Sian M NobleSchool of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol, BS8 2PS, UK.

Funding

Cancer Research UK C11043/A4286Cancer Research UK C18281/A11326Cancer Research UK C18281/A15064Cancer Research UK C18281/A8145Medical Research Council MR/K006525/1Medical Research Council MR/K025643/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) dataset is a source of administrative 'big data' with potential for costing purposes in economic evaluations alongside clinical trials. This study assesses the validity of coverage in the HES outpatient dataset.

methodsMen who died of, or with, prostate cancer were selected from a prostate-cancer screening trial (CAP, Cluster randomised triAl of PSA testing for Prostate cancer). Details of visits that took place after 1/4/2003 to hospital outpatient departments for conditions related to prostate cancer were extracted from medical records (MR); these appointments were sought in the HES outpatient dataset based on date. The matching procedure was repeated for periods before and after 1/4/2008, when the HES outpatient dataset was accredited as a national statistic.

results4922 outpatient appointments were extracted from MR for 370 men. 4088 appointments recorded in MR were identified in the HES outpatient dataset (83.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 82.0-84.1). For appointments occurring prior to 1/4/2008, 2195/2755 (79.7%; 95% CI 78.2-81.2) matches were observed, while 1893/2167 (87.4%; 95% CI 86.0-88.9) appointments occurring after 1/4/2008 were identified (p for difference <0.001). 215/370 men (58.1%) had at least one appointment in the MR review that was unmatched in HES, 155 men (41.9%) had all their appointments identified, and 20 men (5.4%) had no appointments identified in HES.

conclusionsThe HES outpatient dataset appears reasonably valid for research, particularly following accreditation. The dataset may be a suitable alternative to collecting MR data from hospital notes within a trial, although caution should be exercised with data collected prior to accreditation.

Indexed as

Economics, MedicalResearch DesignAgedAppointments and SchedulesDatabases, FactualEnglandHospitalsHumansMaleMiddle AgedOutpatientsProstatic NeoplasmsRandomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Identifiers

PMID26386702

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.