RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Administrative data based patient safety research: a critical review JF Quality and Safety in Health Care JO Qual Saf Health Care FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP ii58 OP ii63 DO 10.1136/qhc.12.suppl_2.ii58 VO 12 IS suppl 2 A1 C Zhan A1 M R Miller YR 2003 UL http://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/12/suppl_2/ii58.abstract AB Administrative data are readily available, inexpensive, computer readable, and cover large populations. Despite coding irregularities and limited clinical details, administrative data supplemented by tools such as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) patient safety indicators (PSIs) could serve as a screen for potential patient safety problems that merit further investigation, offer valuable insights into adverse impacts and risks of medical errors and, to some extent, provide benchmarks for tracking progress in patient safety efforts at local, state, or national levels.