Big Data: Progress or a Big Headache?

Large administrative database, or “big data” research studies can include an immense number of patients. Strengths of research based on big data include generalizability resulting from diverse patients, diverse providers, and diverse clinical settings. Limitations of research based on large administrative databases may include indeterminate quality and obscure purpose of data entry, lack of information regarding confounding variables, and suboptimal clinical outcome measures. Thus, research conclusions based on big data must be scrutinized in a discerning and critical manner.