EHR analysis gets better results than clinical trials

EHR analysis is a more efficient and less costly way to identify the best treatment options for patients than the current clinical trial process, according to a study published in Health Technology Assessment.

Researchers from several universities in the United Kingdom used a new computer program with 23 approved general practitioners across England and Scotland. To monitor the effects of their prescribed treatments, they used 300 patients' EHRs, which are stored in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink and updated during routine medical visits.

Another part of the study involved 31 participants and the use of antibiotics among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Analyses of treatment options currently require researchers to organize long, costly trials that involve additional staff resources, paperwork and regular appointment attendance.

The researchers determined that they were able to understand health patterns related to specific prescribed medications and determine which treatments were more effective by analyzing EHRs. The EHR analysis offers a larger and more diverse overview of the general population than current clinical trial methods, they reported.

Using EHRs also allows for analysis with minimal effects on the lives of the patients, whose involvement in the process stops after their initial consent.

Additionally, the researchers said that 26 of the 27 general practitioners who participated in the study expressed strong support for the use of patients' EHRs for research purposes. In addition, 10 patients who were interviewed by the researchers all said that their involvement in trial was an acceptable practice.

The study was funded in part by the National Institute for Health Research and the Welcome Trust.