A letter from the president: Focusing on data provenance

As we celebrate the 28th anniversary of our business and enter our second year as Carelon Research, I am reminded of how much has changed within healthcare over the last three decades. One of those changes is the proliferation of real-world data from a variety of sources. While this expansion of available data holds the promise of enhancing evidence-based decision making, the value of data provenance, or a documented data trail, has become increasingly important to develop accurate and impactful real-world evidence. Here at Carelon Research, we are uniquely positioned to champion this data transparency evolution happening within our industry.

Data provenance is the ability to track data elements back to their points of origin and ask questions directly to the entities that generate the data. We not only document data modifications and transformations, but also provide guidance on how these processes could affect data integrity, study design, and the interpretation of study results. As the research subsidiary of Elevance Health, we take pride in our ability to provide end-to-end insights with a clear understanding of where the data originates, its’ flow through our systems, and how it’s used within our research initiatives.

Our clients and collaborators can trust that our Healthcare Integrated Research Database (HIRD®) is both credible and carefully curated. Stringent quality assessments of this comprehensive, integrated dataset, coupled with our ability to connect back to the original source of the data, play a pivotal role in contexts where strong data provenance is crucial, such as reporting to regulatory bodies like the FDA and EMA.

A recent assessment of the representativeness of the HIRD® is another testament to our commitment to data integrity and transparency. We believe that such studies reinforce not just the quality of our work, but also demonstrate our ability to conduct comprehensive, robust analyses, and ensure data transparency.

As we move forward, we'll continue to maintain and further develop our commitment to data quality, enrichment, and expansion. As the trusted partner for healthcare research, the needs of our clients and the healthcare system lie at the heart of our approach, fueling our focus on offering data-driven insights and best-in-class research services.

Our partnership with you emboldens us in our commitment to data integrity, and we look forward to working with you to deliver the robust, reliable data and insights that have become our trademark. Thank you for another exceptional year of improving healthcare together through relevant and impactful evidence generation.

Mark J. Cziraky
President, Carelon Research

To learn more about Carelon Research, please visit www.carelonresearch.com or reach out to our team with any questions. Thank you for your continued support and partnership.