Table 2 Comparison of data extracts: information available to researchers
From: The Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data collection: a practical guide for researchers
ASM | DUSC | PBS Statistics online | PBS Section 85 | Under co-payment | PBS 10 % sample | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Access | ||||||
Online | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
By request | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Data custodian | DoH | DoH | DHS | DoH | DoH | DHS |
Access fee | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Level of record | ||||||
Aggregate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Unit-level | ✓ | |||||
Date of record | ||||||
Date of processing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Date of supply | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Date of prescription | From Sep 2012 | |||||
Time | ||||||
Data available (start–end) | 1991–2011 | 1987–present | 1992–present | 2009–present | 2012–present | 2005–present |
Measurement unita | Year | Month | Month | Month | Month | Day |
Frequency of updates | Calendar year | By request | Month | Month | Financial year | Quarter |
Patient information | ||||||
Scrambled identifier | ✓ | |||||
Agea | 5 year age groupsb | From year of birth | ||||
Sex | ✓b | ✓ | ||||
Geographical areaa | National | Stateb | State | National | National | National |
Fact of death | Year of death | |||||
Prescriber information | ||||||
Scrambled identifier | ✓ | |||||
Specialty | ✓b | ✓ | ||||
Pharmacy information | ||||||
Geographical location | State | State | ||||
Medicine classification | ||||||
ATC code | ✓ | ✓ | Highest level only | ✓ | ||
PBS item code | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 2012–2013 report only | ✓ |
Patient category | ||||||
General beneficiary | ✓b | ✓ | ✓ | 2012–2013 report only | ✓ | |
Concessional beneficiary | ✓b | ✓ | ✓ | 2012–2013 report only | ✓ | |
Repatriation beneficiary | ✓b | ✓ | ✓ | 2012–2013 report only | ||
‘Closing the Gap’ | ✓b | ✓ | ||||
Doctor’s bag | ✓b | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
PBS dispensing data capture | ||||||
PBS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 2013–2014 report only | ✓ |
RPBS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 2013–2014 report only | |
Additional dispensing capture | ||||||
Under co-payment dispensing | From 1989 | From 1989 | From 2012 | From 2012 | ||
Private dispensing | 1989–2011 | 1989–2012 | ||||
Medicine sections | ||||||
Section 85 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Section 100 | Limited | Limited | Limited | ✓ | ✓ | |
Measures | ||||||
Volume (no. of dispensing records) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
DDD/1000 population/day | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Cost to patient | ✓b | ✓ | ||||
Cost to government | ✓b | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Total cost (patient + government) | ✓ | ✓b | ✓ | |||