Using electronic health record data for clinical research: a quick guide

Electronic health record (EHR) data offer many exciting research opportunities, but also come with their own inherent limitations. Researchers may not always realise the challenges associated with the use of EHR data for research, or the fact that using large datasets of ‘real-world data’ does not necessarily provide valuable real-world evidence. This article discusses some of the main differences between EHR data and data collected primarily for research purposes, and the challenges encountered when using EHR data for research. It also offers suggestions on how to deal with these challenges based on worked-out examples. It therefore serves as a quick guide for researchers interested in either reading or performing EHR-based research.