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More than 2,600 peer-reviewed journal articles... and counting
Data, tools and services designed for life sciences
IBM® MarketScan® Research Databases provide one of the longest-running and largest collections of proprietary de-identified claims data for privately and publicly insured people in the US. Insights from this integrated, patient-level data could help you demonstrate the clinical and commercial value of your treatments. Choose a path that works best for your organization by licensing the data or working with an IBM services team.
Products and services
Databases and data sets
Gain insights from core claims databases, specialty databases and linked data sets.
Analytic tools
Analyze data sets quickly and intuitively — no programming skills required.
Services
Harness decades of expertise in health economics and outcomes research, market analytics and market access.
Analyzing cost offsets
Use case: Researchers compared real-world cost data from the MarketScan Databases for two different prescription therapies Findings: Data showed that the two-year average cost of the TCAs was lower, but the overall cost of treatment for patients using TCAs was higher.
for depression: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs).
Quantifying vaccine outcomes
Use case: CDC researchers used the MarketScan Databases to conduct a retrospective, population-based study on the impact of the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine. Findings: Data showed that hospitalizations declined by 88 percent and ambulatory visits by 59 percent from 1994 to 2002. Estimated direct medical expenditures declined by 74 percent — a savings of USD 62.8 million.
Evaluating economic costs
Use case: Researchers leveraged MarketScan HRA and Health and Productivity Management (HPM) Databases to quantify the economic implications of obesity in the US. Findings: Analysis of patient-level direct and indirect costs from claims and HPM data showed that severely obese patients had higher overall healthcare costs and lost more work time than normal weight individuals.
Estimating indirect costs
Use case: Researchers examined the association between non-adherence to bipolar medications and lost productivity. Findings: Data showed that only 35.3 percent of patients adhered to their medication, and that non-adherent patients had higher adjusted indirect costs. Hypothetically, an employer could save USD 578,378 if all employee patients who were prescribed a bipolar medication adhered to their treatments.
Benefits
Simplify research and analysis
A single source of patient-level information from over 265 million unique patients makes information easier to access and analyze. Getting different data types, tools, and services from a single vendor can help save time and effort.
Gain comprehensive insights
Data that covers complete episodes of care and reflects real-world costs to conduct more accurate cost and treatment studies.
Expand and enhance research
Linked data — such as disability or workers’ compensation claims—to cover other factors affecting health.
Develop customized insights
The range and depth of information to develop customized data sets for your research interests.
Broaden scope and improve accuracy
Robust data coding for claims and other information to help increase the breadth of research.
Follow data across health plans
Databases derived from multiple sources so patient-level data continues to be collected even if individuals switch health plans.
Research unique patient populations
Data sets built to achieve highly specific patient segmentation without sacrificing sample size.
Rely on a trusted partner
Data sets that have been cited in more than 2,400 peer-reviewed studies and journals.