Yes, you can link SPARCS hospital discharge data with other data sources, such as your own data sets. For any proposed linkages, the applicant must describe the intended linkage in the application and provide documentation of approval from the relevant data steward(s) before the linked data will be released.
Linking SPARCS data at the individual patient level to other patient-level data sources is only possible in
association with identifiable data files. The SPARCS program offers a cohort matching service to applicants who intend to link SPARCS data to a defined group of patients or study participants.
SPARCS program staff will provide guidance on constructing a finder file to enable the cohort matching
upon request. The cohort matching service reduces the need for the SPARCS program to release
identifying data elements for matching purposes only.
If the research proposal includes a planned linkage between SPARCS data and one or more of
following data sources, the application must describe the intended linkage and include information on
the status of related data requests.
• New York City and New York State Vital Events data
• New York State Cancer Registry data
• New York State Cardiac Registry data
• New York State Sepsis Clinical data