Leveraging electronic health records for data science: common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Christopher Martin Sauer, Li-Ching Chen, Stephanie Hyland, Armand Girbes, Paul Elbers, Leo Anthony Celi

Abstract: Analysis of electronic health records (EHRs) is an increasingly common approach for studying real-world patient data. Use of routinely collected data offers several advantages compared with other study designs, including reduced administrative costs, the ability to update analysis as practice patterns evolve, and larger sample sizes. Methodologically, EHR analysis is subject to distinct challenges because data are not collected for research purposes. In this Viewpoint, we elaborate on the importance of in-depth knowledge of clinical workflows and describe six potential pitfalls to be avoided when working with EHR data, drawing on examples from the literature and our experience. We propose solutions for prevention or mitigation of factors associated with each of these six pitfalls—sample selection bias, imprecise variable definitions, limitations to deployment, variable measurement frequency, subjective treatment allocation, and model overfitting. Ultimately, we hope that this Viewpoint will guide researchers to further improve the methodological robustness of EHR analysis.