Abstract

Provincial health data repositories enable clinical data utilization for secondary data uses. This study profiles the first use of Ontario Laboratories Information System (OLIS) data and demonstrates the value of automating tumour marker data collection to enhance cancer stage information in the Ontario Cancer Registry. The study shows that automation reduces manual data abstraction while increasing data quality, completeness and timeliness. The study reveals variability in lab data standards, a concern to healthcare researchers, planners and decision makers. Variability creates challenges in data analyses, decision making and forecasting, suggesting further standardization is needed to maximize the utility of data for secondary uses.