Author:
Holman C D'Arcy J,Bass John A,Rosman Diana L,Smith Merran B,Semmens James B,Glasson Emma J,Brook Emma L,Trutwein Brooke,Rouse Ian L,Watson Charles R,de Klerk Nicholas H,Stanley Fiona J
Abstract
Objectives: The report describes the strategic
design, steps to full implementation and outcomes
achieved by the Western Australian Data Linkage
System (WADLS), instigated in 1995 to link up to
40 years of data from over 30 collections for an
historical population of 3.7 million. Staged development
has seen its expansion, initially from a
linkage key to local health data sets, to encompass
links to national and local health and welfare
data sets, genealogical links and spatial references
for mapping applications.
Applications: The WADLS has supported over
400 studies with over 250 journal publications and
35 graduate research degrees. Applications have
occurred in health services utilisation and outcomes,
aetiologic research, disease surveillance
and needs analysis, and in methodologic
research.
Benefits: Longitudinal studies have become
cheaper and more complete; deletion of duplicate
records and correction of data artifacts have
enhanced the quality of information assets; data
linkage has conserved patient privacy; community
machinery necessary for organised responses to
health and social problems has been exercised;
and the commercial return on research infrastructure
investment has exceeded 1000%. Most
importantly, there have been unbiased contributions
to medical knowledge and identifiable
advances in population health arising from the
research.