Table 4.
Linkage Weight Calculator
| Factor | Criteria | Points | Factor Range | % of candidates | % of matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand Name * | Both records had non-missing, and distinct, brand names | 0 | 0–20 | 6.3% | 2.8% |
| One or both of the records had a missing brand name | 10 | 0% | 0% | ||
| Both records had non-missing, and matching, brand names | 20 | 93.7% | 97.2% | ||
| (Modified) Dose Strength | Both records had non-missing, and distinct, dose strengths | 0 | 0–35 | 4.8% | 0% |
| One or both of the records had a missing dose strength | 10 | 18.1% | 9.0% | ||
| Both records had non-missing, and matching, dose strengths | 35 | 77.2% | 91.0% | ||
| (Modified) Medication Quantity | Both records had non-missing, and distinct, primary and alias dose quantities | 0 | 0–35 | 4.2% | 0% |
| One or both of the records had a missing primary quantity value, indicating that no value was observed or could be imputed | 10 | 9.8% | < 0.1% | ||
| Both records had non-missing, and distinct, primary dose quantities, but the alias of one record matched to the primary of the other | 15 | 4.9% | 1.5% | ||
| Both records had non-missing, and matching, primary dose quantities | 35 | 81.1% | 98.5% | ||
| Date difference | Dispensing occurred more than one month after prescription (but less than six months) | 0 | 0–10 | 67.2% | 1.3% |
| Dispensing occurred within one month of prescription | 10 | 32.8% | 98.7% |
* If a generic medication was used, the brand name was listed as ‘generic’