By Cheryl Reifsnyder, PhD
As a leading provider of data and advanced analytics, Veradigm understands the critical role real-world data (RWD) play in supporting researchers and other healthcare stakeholders during public health crises such as the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.
The Value of EHR DataEHR Data: Both Timely and Clinically Rich
For studying COVID-19, EHR data proved superior to other data sources—such as claims data—for two reasons: the timeliness with which it could be accessed and its clinical richness. EHR data can often be accessed with a time lag of only one week to a month. EHR data also contains clinical information that enables researchers to gain additional understanding of COVID-19.
Throughout the pandemic, most COVID-19 studies focused on hospitalized patients. Hospitals possessed data on the most severe COVID cases; however, hospital data could not provide information about the community spread of COVID or patient …