Health policy
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To test the appropriateness of a given database for specific research questions, we designed a checklist starting with the definition of an ideal database. This ideal database contains all relevant data on patients, providers and services. It is safe and accessible, input is always accurate, continuity is guaranteed and linkage with other information is easy. ⋯ This checklist is used to address important aspects of administrative database research and ethical issues. The increasing possibility to misuse sensitive data needs to be discussed by researchers, administrators, individuals and society. This checklist can also be valuable to others to design or interpret studies based on claims databases.