📌 Veterans Affairs (VA) – USA 🇺🇸
🔍 What is it?
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) maintains one of the largest integrated healthcare databases in the United States. It provides real-world data (RWD) from electronic health records (EHR), pharmacy, claims, and administrative systems, covering millions of veterans receiving care within the VA healthcare system. The VA’s data is widely used for epidemiological research, health outcomes studies, and healthcare resource utilization analyses.
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📊 Key Features & Scope
📍 Geographical coverage: USA 🇺🇸 (nationwide, across the VA healthcare system)
🏥 Data type: EHR (diagnoses, procedures, lab results, imaging), pharmacy, claims, administrative records
🕒 Time coverage: Since the 1990s, continuously updated
👥 Population covered: Over 9 million veterans receiving care at VA hospitals and clinics
🔄 Longitudinal data: Comprehensive follow-up within the VA system, often spanning decades
📈 Pathologies: High prevalence of chronic conditions, mental health disorders (PTSD, depression), cardiovascular diseases, and oncology
✅ Strengths & Best Use Cases
🌍 Large, integrated healthcare system – Covers inpatient, outpatient, and specialty care nationwide
💊 Rich EHR and pharmacy data – Includes lab results, imaging, prescriptions, and clinical notes
📈 Long-term patient tracking – Enables studies on disease progression, treatment effectiveness, and healthcare outcomes
🏥 Veteran-specific health insights – Unique population for studying military-related health conditions and long-term disease burden
🚀 Ideal for epidemiology, HEOR, and comparative effectiveness research
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⚠️ Limitations & Considerations
📉 Veteran-only population – Data may not be representative of the general U.S. population
🏥 Limited external claims data – Patients who receive care outside the VA may have incomplete records
🔄 Restricted access – Requires specific approvals for research due to data sensitivity
📚 How to Access & Learn More
🔗 Access: Requires research proposal submission and approval from VA research offices
🎓 Publications: Link to relevant studies
📄 More info: VA Research & Data Access