RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

2013-2014 VIReC Database and 

Methods Cyber Seminar Series
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Overview of VA Data, 

Information Systems, National 

Databases and Research Uses

October 7, 2013

Presented by:

Denise M. Hynes, MPH, PhD, RN

Center Director, VIReC

VIReC Database and Methods Cyber Seminar Series
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Session Objectives

Introduce Series

Provide Brief Overview of VA Data 

Sources

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RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Series Objectives

To provide information about:

Different types of VA data and information 

systems

Uses of VA data in past research and 

potentially new applications

Limitations of using secondary data in 

research

Resources to support research use of VA 

data

October 7, 2013 4
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Topics for Today

Overview of VA Databases for Research

VA Databases

Processing Platforms and Access Portals

Policies Governing Research Access

Where to go for more help

October 7, 2013 5
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Topics for Today

Overview of VA Databases for Research

VA Databases

Processing Platforms and Access Portals

Policies Governing Research Access

Where to go for more help

October 7, 2013 6
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Overview: Many Sources of VA Data

Administration/

operations data

Clinical

Financial

Data from 

other 

agencies

Veteran 

population 

surveys

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RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

8

Overview: Levels of Data

Local facility data

VISN level data

Corporate (national) level

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RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

9

VHA Corporate Databases Monograph

Produced by Office of 

Informatics and 

Analytics (OIA), 

National Data 

Systems

– Includes 139 databases 

and information 

systems

– Available on VA 

Intranet (contact 

virec@va.gov for url)

October 7, 2013
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Toolkit for New Users of VA Data

October 7, 2013 10

http://www.virec.research.va.gov/Toolkit/Overview.htm
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Topics for Today

Overview of VA Databases for Research

VA Databases

Processing Platforms and Access Portals

Policies Governing Research Access

Where to go for more help

October 7, 2013 11
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

VA Databases

VA Inpatient 

and 

Outpatient 

Data

VA CMS Data

VA DSS 

National 

Clinical Data

VA Pharmacy 

Data

VA Corporate 

Data 

Warehouse 

Data

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12

VA Vital 

Status File
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

VA Inpatient Data

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14

VA Inpatient Data

Data element examples

– Patient demographics

– ICD-9 procedure/surgery codes

– ICD-9 diagnosis codes

Data steward: 

– National Data Systems (NDS)

Website/where to go to find more: 

– http://www.virec.research.va.gov/RUGs/RU

G-MedSAS-IP-FY09-ER.pdf

October 7, 2013
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

VA Outpatient Data

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RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

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VA Outpatient Data

Data element examples:

– Patient demographics

– CPT4 procedure codes

– ICD-9 diagnosis codes

Data steward: 

– National Data Systems (NDS)

Website/Where to go to find more 

information

– http://www.virec.research.va.gov/RUGs/RUGMedSAS-OP-FY09-ER.pdf

October 7, 2013
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

VA/Center for Medicare and Medicaid 

Services (CMS) Data

Medicaid

Medicare Current 

Beneficiary Survey 

(MCBS)

Long Term Care Patient 

Assessment Data

United States Renal Data 

System 

(USRDS)

Medicare Enrollment 

and Claims Data

17

Data available for veterans eligible for VHA care 

and select non-veteran data

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RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

18

Data element examples:

– Demographics

– ICD-9 and CPT4 procedure codes

– ICD-9 diagnosis codes

Data steward:

– VIReC’s VA/CMS Data for Research Project

Website/where to go to find more 

information

– http://www.virec.research.va.gov/IndexVACMS.htm

VA/Center for Medicare and Medicaid 

Services (CMS) Data

October 7, 2013
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

VA DSS National Clinical Data

Decision Support System (DSS) National Data Extracts (NDEs)

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DSS Processes

Financial 

Systems Workload Patient 

Info

DSS 

Data

LAB

LAR

NDEs

PHA

RAD
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

VA DSS National Clinical Data

Cli

ni

ca

l 

N

D

Es

LAB

(fact of lab)

LAR

(lab Results)

PHA

(pharmacy 

prescriptions)

RAD

(radiology)

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RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

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VA DSS National Clinical Data 

Data Element Examples:

– Date

– Test results

– Ordering provider

– Costs

Data Steward:

– VHA Decision Support Office

Website/Where to go to find more 

information

– http://www.virec.research.va.gov/RUGs/RUGDSS-NDE-2nd-Ed-CY09-ER.pdf

October 7, 2013
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

VA Pharmacy Data

22

Medications 

Dispensed 

from VA 

Pharmacies

Pharmacy Benefits 

Management (PBM)

VHA Decision 

Support System 

(DSS)

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RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

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VA Pharmacy Data

Data element examples:

– Generic drug name, days supply, VA drug class, 

Cost etc.

Data Steward

– PBM: Fran Cunningham, PharmD

– DSS: VHA Decision Support Office

Website/Where to go to find more information

– http://www.virec.research.va.gov/RUGs/RUG-PBM2nd-Ed-CY08-ER.pdf

October 7, 2013
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

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VA Vital Status File

General description:

– Multiple sources of mortality information

• VA Workload Data

• BIRLS Death File

• Medicare Vital Status File

• SSA Death Master File

– Two files: Master and Mini 

 

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RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

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VA Vital Status File

Data element examples:

– Date of death (variables from the different 

sources and value selected as “best”)

– Last healthcare utilization date

Data Steward:

– National Data Systems 

Website/Where to go to find more 

information

http://www.virec.research.va.gov/VSF/Over

view.htm

October 7, 2013
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Corporate Data Warehouse Data

26

National repository of 

VHA administrative 

and clinical data

Relational database 

organized into data 

domains

Data available from 

1999 to present and 

updated nightly

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RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

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Corporate Data Warehouse Data

CDW Domain Examples

– Vital Signs

– Dimension Common

– Immunization

– Health Factors

– Data Profiling

– Patient

– LabChem

Data Steward:

– National Data Systems

Website/Where to go to find more 

information:

http://www.virec.research.va.gov/CDW/RG-CDWCY12-ER.pdf

October 7, 2013
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Topics for Today

Overview of VA Databases for Research

VA Databases

Processing Platforms and Access Portals

Policies Governing Research Access

Where to go for more help

October 7, 2013 28
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Processing Platforms

Austin Information Technology Center 

Mainframe (AITC)

– Centralized computer processing center under VA 

Office of Information and Technology (OI+T)

– See 

http://www.virec.research.va.gov/AITC/Overview.

htm for more information

VINCI

– Secure computing environment for VA researchers

– See 

http://www.virec.research.va.gov/VINCI/Overview

.htm for more information

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RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

VistA Access Portals

Compensation & Pension Record 

Interchange (CAPRI)

– Provides read-only access to national EHRs

– See http://www.virec.research.va.gov/CAPRIVistAWeb/CAPRI.htm for more information

VistAWeb

– Provides read-only access to national EHRs

– See http://www.virec.research.va.gov/CAPRIVistAWeb/VistAWeb.htm for more information

October 7, 2013 30
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Topics for Today

Overview of VA Databases for Research

VA Databases

Processing Platforms and Access Portals

Policies Governing Research Access

Where to go for more help

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RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

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Criteria for Use of VA Data 

in Research

Employment status

Proposed use

Data Steward requirements

Sensitivity of data

Physical location of data

October 7, 2013
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Approval for Research Data Access is

Multi-Departmental 

VHA Local 

Management Data Steward

VHA Office of 

Research and 

Development

VHA Privacy 

Office

CUPS Point of 

Contact or 

ISO

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VHA Security 

Liaison Office
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Data Access Requirements are 

Determined by the Data

National Data Systems (NDS)

– Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW)

– Vital Status Data

– MedSAS (real SSN)

– DSS (real SSN)

VA Information Resource Center (VIReC)

– VA/CMS Data

Pharmacy Benefits Management Services

– Pharmacy Benefits Management Data (PBM)

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RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

VIReC Data Access & Request Guide

October 7, 2013 35

www.virec.research.va.gov/Access/Access-Req-Guide.htm
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Data Source Specific Access Information

October 7, 2013 36

www.virec.research.va.gov/Access/Access-Req-Guide.htm
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Access to VA Data by 

Non-VA Researchers

Collaborate with a VA Researcher

Obtain permission from VA 

Under Secretary for Health

Obtain HIPAA authorization from 

Veterans to use their data

Request de-identified data under 

FOAI 

October 7, 2013 37

Data containing Protected Health Information 

(PHI) restricted to VA researchers

Exceptions
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Topics for Today

Overview of VA Databases for Research

VA Databases

Processing Platforms and Access Portals

Policies Governing Research Access

Where to go for more help

October 7, 2013 38
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

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Obtaining Help

HSRData Listserv

– Join at VIReC’s Intranet Web site

– Exchange of current information, ideas, 

questions, and answers about data and 

informatics issues affecting VA research

– Discussion among close to 700 VA only 

researchers, data stewards, managers 

and other users

– Searchable archive of past discussions

October 7, 2013
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Obtaining Help

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Obtaining Help

VIReC Website

– http://www.virec.research.va.gov

• Research User Guides (RUGs)

– Variable-level information

• Technical Reports

• Web-site “Toolkit for New Users of VA Data”

• Monthly Data Issue Briefs

Help Desk

– virec@va.gov

– (708) 202-2413

October 7, 2013
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Upcoming Database and Methods 

Seminars

Research Access to VA 

Data

Assessing Inpatient and 

Outpatient VA Health 

Care Use

Measuring Veterans 

Health Services Use in 

VA and Medicare 

Pharmacy Data, Medicare 

Part D

Data and Methods to 

Characterize Veterans’ 

Socioeconomic Status

Measuring Laboratory 

Use and Results Using 

the VA DSS National Lab 

Data

Assessing Race and 

Ethnicity

Applying Comorbidity 

Measures Using VA and 

Medicare Data

Improving Mortality 

Ascertainment

Using CAPRI and 

VistAWeb

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Questions?

October 7, 2013
RESEARCHERS’ GUIDE TO VA DATA

Next session:

November 4, 2013

– Research Access to VA Data

– Linda Kok, MS