Data resource profile: the Scottish Combined Medicines Dataset (SCoMeD).

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Public Health

Background:

• Electronic prescribing data in Scotland existed in separate datasets (primary, secondary care).
• A unified view was needed for longitudinal patient medicine use analysis across NHS Scotland.
• Existing data silos limited comprehensive research and patient care insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a unified, longitudinal dataset of all prescribing information in Scotland.
• To facilitate research by integrating data from primary, secondary, and homecare settings.
• To enable linkage with other health datasets for broader analytical capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Developed the Scottish Combined Medicines Dataset (SCoMeD) using data virtualization.
• Integrated data from Prescribing Information System (PIS), Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (HEPMA), and Homecare Medicines (HCM).
• Utilized unique patient identifiers (Community Health Index number) for cohort creation and data linkage.

Main Results:

• SCoMeD provides a consolidated view of patient demographics and medication details (what, when, strength, dose).
• Data availability spans from January 2010 (PIS), January 2019 (HCM), and July 2022 (HEPMA).
• The dataset enables patient cohort identification and linkage to hospital admissions and death records.

Conclusions:

• SCoMeD supports diverse study types, including cross-sectional, drug utilization, and longitudinal research.
• The integrated dataset facilitates health policy and health economics evaluations.
• Data access requires approval via the electronic Data Research and Innovation Service.