Using routine databases to evaluate Electronic Palliative Care Co-ordination Systems (EPaCCS)

In response to the government's drive to expand Electronic Palliative Care Co-ordination Systems (EPaCCS) across England by 2020, further evidence for this intervention needs to be established quickly. With palliative and end-of-life care research being an underfunded area, the availability and lower costs of routine databases make it an attractive resource to integrate into studies evaluating EPaCCS without jeopardising research quality. This article describes how routine databases can be used to address the current paucity of high-quality evidence; they can be used in a range of study designs, including randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs, and may also be able to contribute quality of life or patient-reported outcome measures.