Mixed

Using electronically captured routine data (e.g., hospital episode statistics, clinical databases) for health technology assessment via randomised controlled trials is feasible and potentially cheaper than using purpose-designed data, provided clinical symptoms and signs are collected in sufficient detail.

For researchers designing health technology assessments, consider leveraging existing electronic patient records (like hospital episode statistics) to reduce costs and speed up recruitment. However, ensure that the routine data captures detailed clinical symptoms and signs, as administrative codes alone may not suffice for judging clinical effectiveness. Validate your local data systems' capability before committing to this approach.