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Private Sector Researchers

The ICES Board of Directors and management team are committed to enhancing data accessibility to support new discoveries.

Overview

Since June 2016, ICES Data & Analytic Services (DAS) has been providing analytic services to researchers in the private sector for several reasons:

  • ICES recognized a need to align with the Government of Ontario’s Open Data initiative and other efforts to increase access to public data holdings to maximize their impact on the healthcare system and the economy.
  • ICES’ data platform creates knowledge that informs public sector healthcare investments, and it has the potential to create knowledge that informs the approximately 30% of healthcare expenditures that are funded by the private sector.
  • ICES is building on the experience of similar organizations in Canada and internationally who have provided services to the private sector.

DAS is guided in its work with the private sector by the principles of transparency and financial viability and by ICES’ mission, vision and values, which require DAS private sector work to provide a public benefit.

Services Available to Private Sector Researchers

ICES is currently offering analytic services to private sector researchers. DAS staff and scientists will perform the analyses that generate the report, according to specifications provided by the private sector researcher. The requestor will receive results reports that include summary data. In line with ICES’ policies and its status as an independent organization, ICES scientists are prohibited from receiving industry funding for projects using ICES data.

  • ICES can also facilitate linkage of existing clinical trial data with its administrative data holdings to assess long-term outcomes among trial participants. Find out more about linkage of trial data.
  • Access to individual-level data is not available to private sector researchers.
  • Find out more about analytic services and reports and the process workflow.

ICES uses a unique 10-digit number to identify each individual in its data sets. The same encryption algorithm is used for all ICES data sets; this enables information to be linked from one data set to another and makes it possible to track an individual’s trajectory of care through the healthcare system over time. Data availability and update frequency are subject to data sharing agreements made with the data custodians. Lag time varies depending on the data holding; for example, some data sets are updated as often as biweekly, others between one to two years.

Visit the ICES Data Dictionary for a comprehensive listing of data holdings available.

In addition, researchers may also link their own externally collected research data sets to ICES data. Please contact DAS Private Sector for more information.

Costs of services will depend on the complexity of the request. ICES DAS staff are available to discuss potential costs of data and analytic services.

As an example, a typical research study looking at healthcare services use and costs for a cohort of patients will generally range between $70,000 and $150,000.

Projects involving importation of externally collected data for linkage to ICES data will incur additional costs.

The time required to complete a study will depend on the complexity of the request. ICES DAS staff will provide more detailed timelines as they relate to particular requests.

As an example, a typical research study looking at healthcare services use and costs for a cohort of patients will take three to six months to complete from analytic kick-off.

Submitting a Request

Interested private sector organizations or researchers with funding from the private sector are invited to submit the ICES DAS Private Sector Analytics Services Request Form.

For help completing the request form, see the DAS Private Sector Analytic Services Information Sheet.

For further assistance, please email or contact ICES DAS at 1-888-480-1327 (toll-free).