Clinical research output and organised healthcare data undergo a complex path. Stakeholder delegates agreed on the necessity for a set of minimum criteria that authors may use as a tool to improve design, reporting, and research output in order to enable continued development in a transparent manner. Authors are allowed to describe how organised healthcare data were used in their research study using the CODE-EHR Minimum Standards Framework, which is shown in table 2 (either in patient identification, disease phenotyping, or outcome derivation). Preferred standards are a sign of high-quality achievement and can be utilised to alter the course of future research.
The path from structured healthcare data to clinical research output is complex. To support further development in a transparent way, stakeholder delegates reached consensus on the need for a set of minimum standards that authors could use as a tool to enhance design, reporting, and research output. The CODE-EHR Minimum Standards Framework accessible in the download link below, allows authors to report on how structured healthcare data were used in their research study (either in patient identification, disease phenotyping, or outcome derivation). Preferred standards indicate high level attainment of quality and can be used as a tool to improve the future trajectory of research.
The checklist, which was developed through an iterative process based on the suggestions from the stakeholders, addresses five crucial areas of increased transparency: the method and justification of coding; the process of building and linking datasets; clear definitions of diseases and outcomes; the approach to analysis, including any computational methods; and demonstrating good data governance.
The CODE-EHR framework checklist is available for download through the links below: