The Research Database in Clinical Practice

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Abstract
If a clinician implements some systematic methods for evaluating and monitoring patients in the course of routine clinical care, a research database within a clinical setting can be a useful means for studying clinical questions and an efficient strategy for integrating research and clinical practice. Certain practical, scientific, and clinical issues must be considered in developing a clinical research database, including the needless collection of clinical data, the impact of adding procedures to the ongoing clinical operations, statistical "fishing expeditions," and overinterpretation of correlational information. Clinical databases have limitations, but can facilitate the testing of clinically based hypotheses, form an important cornerstone in a scientifically based clinical psychopharmacology practice, and improve the quality of care.

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