Existing Data Sources in Clinical Epidemiology: The Taiwan National Health Insurance Laboratory Databases

Figures & data

Figure 1 The coverage of laboratory tests results uploaded among claimed to the National Health Insurance by level of clinical setting in Taiwan, 2015 to 2019.

Figure 2 Cumulative number of laboratory test results and persons (in millions) for the 20 most frequent laboratory tests performed in Taiwan, from 2015 to the end of August 2020.

Abbreviations: GOT (AST), glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase or aspartate aminotransferase; GPT (ALT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (alanine transaminase); HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; WBC, white blood cell.

Table 1 The Parameter Variables Available in the Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI) Laboratory Information Databases

No.	Variable	Length	Description
V1	CASE_REPORT_TYPE	1	1. Laboratory test; 2. Image; 3. Pathology
V2	HOSP_ID_PKNO	10	Identification number of clinical setting
V3	HOSP_DATA_TYPE	2	Type of clinical setting
V4	FEE_YM	6	Year and month of payment
V5	APPL_TYPE	1	Type of claims application
V6	APPL_DATE	9	Year and month of claims application
V7	CASE_TYPE	2	Type of special payment program
V8	SEQ_NO	10	Sequential number set by the clinical setting
V9	ID	10	Identification number of beneficiary
V10	BIRTHDAY	8	Birth date of beneficiary
V11	FUNC_DATE	9	Date of beginning the clinical encounter (visit)
V12	CURE_E_DATE	9	Date of ending the clinical encounter (visit)
V13	IN_DATE	9	Date of hospitalization
V14	OUT_DATE	9	Date of discharge
V15	APPL_S_DATE	9	Date of beginning of the claims application
V16	APPL_E_DATE	9	Date of ending of the claims application
V17	ORDER_SEQ_NO	10	Sequential number of prescription of the test or examination
V18	ORDER_CODE	15	Specific code given by NHI for each test or examination
V19	ASSAY_UPLOAD_DATE	9	Date of uploading the results or reports
V20	RECIPE_DATE	9	Date of prescribing the test or examination
V21	REAL_INSPECT_DATE	9	Date of performing (sampling) the test or examination
V22	INSPECT_MODE	400	Method of performing (sampling) the test or examination
V23	CASE_SEQ_NO	10	Sequence number of repeated tests in the same day
V24	ASSAY_ITEM_NAME	200	Name of the test or examination for different purposes
V25	ASSAY_METHOD	200	Method of the test such as qualitative or quantitative
V26	ASSAY_VALUE	60	Result of the test
V27	UNIT_DATA	100	Unit of the result
V28	CONSULT_VALUE	100	Reference value of the result
V29	WEB_RECV_SEQ	20	Sequential number of reception the uploaded data by NHI
V30	BRANCH_ID	1	NHI branch
V31	TXT_MARK	1	Note on the changes
V32	TXT_DATE	9	Date of changes
V33	DTL_PKNO	19	Sequential number set by NHI
V34	OHP_SEV_TYPE	1	Type of encounter (outpatient, inpatient, or pharmaceutical)
V35	FUNC_SEQ_NO	15	Sequential number of clinical encounter (visit)

Table 2 Examples of Contents Recorded in the Five Variables in Laboratory Test Database

No.	ORDER_CODE	ASSAY_ITEM_NAME	ASSAY_METHOD	ASSAY_VALUE	UNIT_DATA	CONSULT_VALUE
1	14032C	HbsAg (screening)	Roche E-411	Pos. in Chinese	S/N	<2.0
2	14032C	HBsAg-EIA	Instrument name	Pos.	cut off index	≥1 (+)
3	14032C	HBsAg Quantitative	Sample in Chinese	Negative	S/CO	Negative<1.00
4	14032C	HBsAg (Quantitation)	Unknown	Positive (16.51)	IU/mL	<0.05
5	14032C	HBsAg	Blood	Reactive	IU/mL	<2.0~
6	14032C	HBsAg in Chinese	Name in Chinese	0.515	S/N	<1.0 COI (-)
7	14032C	HBsAg (S/CO)	None	0.443	COI	(-)<1.0
8	14032C	GOT (AST)	Blood	0.33	IU/mL	<2.0~
9	09025C	HBsAg	Blood	0.87	COI	Nonreactive<1.0
10	09025C	GOT (AST)	Photometry	13	U/L	13–39

Abbreviations: EIA, enzyme immunoassay; GOT (AST), glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase or aspartate aminotransferase; HBsAg, hepatitis B virus surface antigen.