UNSW-Medicine Insight 2021 GP  Dataset

The MedicineInsight programme collects electronic health record (EHR) data from clinical information systems (CISs) from consenting general practises (GPs) who have agreed to submit data on an ongoing basis. Researchers, general practitioners, statisticians, and clinicians use the data to support observational and interventional research. The dataset itself is highly comprehensive, encompassing various categories of information, such as patient demographics, comprehensive profiles of general practitioners, clinical and pathological data, detailed medication histories, billing information, and other pertinent patient details.

 As part of the 2019-2024 NHMRC grant, UNSW obtained a data extract of a random sample of 1.2 million patients in November 2021 from the MedicineInsight program. In total, the database contains records for a substantial cohort of 1,199,298 patients across 561 general practitioner sites. This extensive and multifaceted dataset serves as an invaluable asset, driving advancements in healthcare research and quality improvement endeavors within the Australian primary care landscape and contributing to evidence-based decision-making in healthcare.

 This dataset is organized into  Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) Common Data Model (CDM) v5.4 and stored in tables featuring a wide array of fields, ranging from coded to free-text formats in the SREDH Platform.  The OMOP-CDM includes a standard representation of health care experiences (such as information related to health care utilization and condition occurrence), as well as common vocabularies for coding clinical concepts that enable consistent application of analyses across multiple disparate data sources.  The data has undergone a rigorous deidentification process to safeguard patient privacy. This project uses only de-identified data has been approved by the University of New South Wales Human Research Ethics Committee. Additionally, access to MedicineInsight has been approved its the independent Data Governance Committee. 

Dataset access fees

• For MedicineInsight data access fees, please refer to https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/quality-use-medicines-stewardship-program

• SREDH Platform (data storage and linkage) license for 1 year - A$1,900.00 

• OMOP data preparation costs  - A$5,000

• Payment via bank transfer to UNSW Sydney

Dataset Access Instructions

• Fill out this form to get access to the Dataset 

• A separate data use application needs to be made to the data custodian of MedicineInsight dataset. Please refer to https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/quality-use-medicines-stewardship-program

• Please sign and return the SREDH Consortium membership, data usage and project description forms that will be sent up on filling out the data request form above. 

• Pay data access and associated fees, if applicable 

• Download the dataset from the SREDH secure server. 

• Submit progress report every 6 months until the completion of the project

Access Criteria

• Available to researchers( academic and non-academic) for non-commercial purposes.

• Researchers need to have experience handling sensitive patient data and training in ethics.

• Researchers are required to report annually to the commission on any research outputs that arise

• Any output that arises from this dataset needs to be reviewed by the data custodian (SREDH Consortium) before submission. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• Please refer to FAQs page.

Selected Publications

•  Hossain, F. B., Muscatello, D., Jayasinghe, S., Jonnagaddala, J., & Liu, B. (2024). Uptake of pneumococcal vaccines in older Australian adults before and after universal public funding of PCV13. Vaccine.

• Liaw, S.T; Jonnagaddala, J; Muscatello, D; Sitas, F; Liu, B; Eapen, V; Harris, M. Addressing quality and interoperability of data in general practice. Informative presentation at WONCA 2023, Sydney, Australia. Australian Journal of General Practice Supplement 2: WONCA 2023.

• John, J. R., Khan, J. R., Lin, P. I., Jonnagaddala, J., Hu, N., Belcher, J., ... & Eapen, V. (2023). A nationwide study of COVID-19 impact on mental health-related presentations among children and adolescents to primary care practices in Australia. Psychiatry Research, 326, 115332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115332

• Busingye, D., Gianacas, C., Pollack, A., Chidwick, K., Merrifield, A., Norman, S., ... & Stocks, N. (2019). Data Resource Profile: MedicineInsight, an Australian national primary health care database. International journal of epidemiology, 48(6), 1741-1741h. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyz147