Insights Into Conducting Audiological Research With Clinical Databases

Purpose The clinical data stored in electronic health records (EHRs) provide unique opportunities for audiological clinical research. In this article, we share insights from our experience of working with a large clinical database of over 730,000 cases. Method Under a framework outlining the process from patient care to researcher data use, we describe issues that can arise in each step of this process and how we overcame specific issues in our data set. Results Correct interpretation of findings depends on an understanding of the data source and structure, and efforts to establish confidence in the data through the processes are discussed under the framework. Conclusion We conclude that EHRs have considerable utility in audiological research, though researchers must exhibit caution and consideration when working with EHRs.