PloS one

1932-620310112015PloS onePLoS OneHealthcare Databases in Thailand and Japan: Potential Sources for Health Technology Assessment Research.e0141993e0141993e014199310.1371/journal.pone.0141993Health technology assessment (HTA) has been continuously used for value-based healthcare decisions over the last decade. Healthcare databases represent an important source of information for HTA, which has seen a surge in use in Western countries. Although HTA agencies have been established in Asia-Pacific region, application and understanding of healthcare databases for HTA is rather limited. Thus, we reviewed existing databases to assess their potential for HTA in Thailand where HTA has been used officially and Japan where HTA is going to be officially introduced.Existing healthcare databases in Thailand and Japan were compiled and reviewed. Databases' characteristics e.g. name of database, host, scope/objective, time/sample size, design, data collection method, population/sample, and variables were described. Databases were assessed for its potential HTA use in terms of safety/efficacy/effectiveness, social/ethical, organization/professional, economic, and epidemiological domains. Request route for each database was also provided.Forty databases- 20 from Thailand and 20 from Japan-were included. These comprised of national censuses, surveys, registries, administrative data, and claimed databases. All databases were potentially used for epidemiological studies. In addition, data on mortality, morbidity, disability, adverse events, quality of life, service/technology utilization, length of stay, and economics were also found in some databases. However, access to patient-level data was limited since information about the databases was not available on public sources.Our findings have shown that existing databases provided valuable information for HTA research with limitation on accessibility. Mutual dialogue on healthcare database development and usage for HTA among Asia-Pacific region is needed.SaokaewSurasakSCenter of Health Outcomes Research and Therapeutic Safety (Cohorts), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand.The Canon Institute for Global Studies, Tokyo, Japan.Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.Meiji Institute for Global Affairs, Meiji University, Tokyo, Japan.Center of Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research (CPOR), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.SugimotoTakashiTGraduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.KamaeIsaoIThe Canon Institute for Global Studies, Tokyo, Japan.Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.Meiji Institute for Global Affairs, Meiji University, Tokyo, Japan.PratoomsootChayaninCFaculty of Public Health, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.ChaiyakunaprukNathornNCenter of Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research (CPOR), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.School of Pharmacy, Monash University Sunway Campus, Selangor, Malaysia.School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, United States of America.engJournal Article20151111