The use of large, population-based healthcare databases is a critical component of current and future CER.
CER is focused on the broad population of patients who are seen every day in clinical care, as opposed to a much smaller group of patients who meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria for a clinical trial.
Over the past several years, the number and availability of healthcare databases has increased at UNC. Fostering the use and understanding of these databases in preparation for future external grant funding opportunities is of significant interest to us. Our CTSA partner, Research Triangle Institute (RTI), also has access to various healthcare databases that may be useful for CER.
Databases
The use of large, population-based healthcare databases is a critical component of current and future CER.
CER is focused on the broad population of patients who are seen every day in clinical care, as opposed to a much smaller group of patients who meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria for a clinical trial.
Over the past several years, the number and availability of healthcare databases has increased at UNC. Fostering the use and understanding of these databases in preparation for future external grant funding opportunities is of significant interest to us. Our CTSA partner, Research Triangle Institute (RTI), also has access to various healthcare databases that may be useful for CER.
Following is a list of databases available at UNC and RTI.
UNC Sheps Center for Health Services Research Data Resources
The Sheps Center stores and manages various data resources for use in health services research. There are varying rules for who can use these data, and how they can be accessed.
Data Resource and Website Link |
Access Limits |
Data Access |
| Carolina Cost and Quality Initiative — BCBSNC Claims Data and NC Medicaid Claims Data. | Access Limited to UNC-Chapel Hill Students and UNC-Chapel Hill Researchers | By application. There may be programming costs beyond preliminary discussions and data extractions. |
| MarketScan® Data — Commercial Claims and Encounters and Medicare Supplemental Databases. | Access Limited to UNC-Chapel Hill Students and UNC-Chapel Hill Researchers | By application. In some circumstances fees are charged. |
| Medicare 20% Sample — a 20% representative sample of all Medicare beneficiaries 65 years and older with fee-for–service coverage of Medicare Parts A, B, and D. | UNC-Chapel Hill Students and UNC-Chapel Hill Researchers. Project-specific data use agreement with CMS needed | By application. There may be programming costs beyond preliminary discussions and data extractions. |
| Medicaid MAX Data — MAX Medicaid data and date of death files for California, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. | UNC-Chapel Hill Students and UNC-Chapel Hill Researchers. Project-specific data use agreement with CMS needed. | By application. There may be programming costs beyond preliminary discussions and data extractions. |
| Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) — a sample of U.S. emergency department visits. | Access limited to UNC-Chapel Hill students and UNC-Chapel Hill researchers. | By application. There may be programming costs beyond preliminary discussions and data extractions. |
| Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) — a sample of U.S. hospitals and all discharges from those hospitals. | Access limited to UNC-Chapel Hill students and UNC-Chapel Hill researchers. | By application. There may be programming costs beyond preliminary discussions and data extractions. |
| North Carolina Hospital Discharge Data — Inpatient, Emergency Room and Ambulatory Surgery/Outpatient Hospital Data. | Academic / Public Health Researchers only | By application. In some circumstances fees or programming costs are charged. |
| SEER-Medicare — a linked database of individuals diagnosed with 18 selected cancers who are linked to their Medicare fee-for–service claims data, including Medicare Parts A, B, and D. |
UNC-Chapel Hill Students and UNC-Chapel Hill Researchers. Project-specific data use agreement with SEER-Medicare needed. | By application. There may be programming costs beyond preliminary discussions and data extractions. |
Data at RTI
Data Resource and Website Link |
Access Limits |
Data Access |
| Global Network — interventions to improve maternal and child morbidity and mortality in the developing world | None | By application. Requires Data Use Agreement with Global Network. |
| Neonatal Research Network — research to improve the health of critically ill newborns, including low birth weight and premature infants | None | By application. Requires Data Use Agreement with Neonatal Research Network. |
| Pelvic Floor Disorders Network — research on the care of women with pelvic floor disorders | None | Public use data from completed and published studies available to all. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. can provide additional information on ongoing studies that will become available in the near term. |
UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
The Cancer Information and Population Health Resource provides the informatics foundation for optimizing cancer outcomes in North Carolina and beyond by linking and accessing multiple population, clinical, and other data sources. Visit ciphr.unc.edu to learn more.
For requesters with a UNC ONYEN or TraCS Connect account:
If you do not have a UNC ONYEN or TraCS Connect account, request an account first, and then return after approved to submit a request.