Versorgungsforschung und Qualitätsmessung mit GKV-Routinedaten

Scientific analyses in healthcare research are increasingly based on secondary data on statutory health insurance (SHI). These data are primarily collected for the billing of medical benefits and can therefore only be used as secondary data for other possible issues. The question here is how valid such data can be. This study examines how validly the progression and extent of diseases among people with health insurance may be reflected by means of secondary data available from the SHI system in comparison to information from primary data.

The level of agreement between the three data sources differs greatly depending on the parameter investigated (sickness absence, drugs, hospitalisations) and the observation period. This renders making global statements on the validity of the secondary data extremely difficult, and so respective methodological limitations have to be taken into account. In addition, the validity of data from doctors and patients themselves is restricted.