Imperial College Health Partners (ICHP)

ID 327

ICH Partners performs service evaluations and research using the Discover database. Feasibility information on potential sample size is often required by external clients in need of service evaluations.

By conducting these feasibility searches, and demonstrating NWL have sufficient population in proposed projects, we ensure the following direct and indirect benefits to patients • Ensuring service evaluations and research opportunities are relevant to the needs of our local population. • Increased opportunities for patients and public to be involved in research. • Providing researchers a better indication as to what data is available as to whether a study is possible. • Increasing likelihood of research outputs produced which can improve patients quality of care. Similar to clinical trials, retrospective studies require sufficient sample size to be powered to answer the research question. This application requests to perform high level queries on non-demographic statuses (e.g. de-identified records with evidence of long term conditions, procedural codes, or prescriptions). Such high level queries inform on whether the potential sample size of studies is adequate to pursue Discover as a service. This information would be used or communicated only to assess and ascertain the feasibility to pursue Protocol Development and carry out a subsequently DAC approved research study using the Discover database. Should sample size be adequate and partnerships be formed, DAC submissions will be issued prior to accessing the Discover database for the subsequent research study, at which point benefits to patients’ healthcare or quality of care will be outlined. The high level Page 4 of 22 feasibility queries proposed here act as a stop-check to best inform how the Discover database can best perform research studies that ultimately benefit patients.

20/04/2023

TRE