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Secondary Data Collection and Extraction Services

Pubrica extracts and prepares secondary data from registries, health records, claims and public datasets. We identify suitable sources, support data access applications, abstract or extract the variables required and document provenance at every step, so that the analysis dataset can be traced back to its source.

  • Sources assessed for fitness, including coverage, completeness and how variables were recorded
  • Data access supported, including applications and data use agreements
  • Medical record abstraction with a standard form, trained abstractors and reliability checks
  • Provenance documented from source to analysis dataset
  • Reported to RECORD guidance for studies using routinely collected data where it applies
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What you receive

Analysis-ready dataset with data dictionaryIncluded

Code lists and variable definitionsIncluded

Abstraction forms and reliability reportIncluded

Provenance and data quality reportIncluded

Data-collection methods summaryIncluded

Service Scope

What Our Secondary Data Collection Service Covers

Each project is scoped individually. The components below are combined according to your study and its requirements.

Source identification Registries, EHR systems, claims databases and public datasets assessed for the research question.
Data access applications Preparation of applications, protocols and data management plans for data custodians.
Medical record abstraction Abstraction forms, abstractor training and inter-abstractor reliability.
Data extraction and linkage Extraction of variables and linkage of datasets under the approved arrangements.
Variable derivation Coding lists for diagnoses, procedures and medicines, with the definitions documented.
Data quality assessment Completeness, plausibility and consistency checks.

Applications

Studies That Use Secondary Data

Retrospective cohort studiesOutcomes from routine records.
Real-world evidenceTreatment patterns and effectiveness.
Health economicsResource use and costs from claims.
Registry analysesDisease and procedure registries.
Public health researchNational survey and surveillance datasets.

Process

How the Project Works

Methods, deliverables and fees are confirmed in writing before work begins.

01 Protocol reviewWe review the protocol, ethics approval and sample size, and identify the measures and the data standards required.
02 Tools and trainingCase report forms, measurement procedures and data-entry checks are prepared, and field staff are trained and assessed.
03 Collection and monitoringData are collected to protocol, with quality checks, query resolution and regular progress reports.
04 Cleaning and documentationThe dataset is cleaned and locked, with a data dictionary and a record of every correction.
05 HandoverYou receive the dataset, the documentation and a data-collection report suitable for the methods section.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

If your question is not answered here, ask an expert.

Yes. We prepare the application, protocol and data management plan; access decisions remain with the data custodian.

Abstractors use a standard form and manual, and a sample of records is abstracted twice to measure agreement.

Only where the approvals and agreements permit it. Wherever possible we work with de-identified or pseudonymised data.

Using documented code lists, for example ICD codes, agreed with you and reported so that others can reproduce the definitions.

Pubrica Academy

Further Reading in Pubrica Academy

AcademyData Collection from Medical Records for Retrospective Analyses AcademyMedical Data Collection Sources in Healthcare AcademyChallenges in Medical Data Collection CategoryAll articles in Research Data, Analytics & AIPubrica Academy articles on statistics, data collection, analytics and AI.

Request a Quote for Secondary Data Collection

Share your protocol or study outline. We confirm the setting, sample, measures, timeline and fee before fieldwork is planned.

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Regulations

Check your project against this rule

  1. 1Your work
  2. 2Your details
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What do you need?

Material you send is held under signed confidentiality, with access limited to the assigned team and encrypted transfer. It is not used to train anything and is not passed to third-party tools. Ask for the agreement before you send anything you would rather cover first.