| Name of Data Source | |
|---|---|
| How important are the data? | Five to ten key questions that can be answered with this data source: What is the main purpose of this data source? What policy questions can it be used to answer? |
| What do the data represent? | Sample or universe Where do the observations in the data set come from (e.g., all public hospitals or all persons covered by Medicaid)? |
| Unit(s) of analysis What does one line of the data set represent (e.g., a person, a family, a provider, an insurance claim)? |
|
| How helpful are the data? | Periodicity of data collection Are the data collected on a regular basis? How frequently? |
| Access and usability of data Are the data publicly available? Is a data use agreement or assurance of confidentiality required? What is the lead time needed to obtain the data? | |
| Confidence in validity of data Are there any limitations or concerns that people familiar with the data set may have? To what extent are the data generalizable? | |
| How should the data be acquired? | Contact information What organization is responsible for collecting and managing the data? Provide a contact name with phone number and email address and Web site information, if available. |