Linking individual-level data on diagnoses and dispensing for research on antibiotic use: Evaluation of a novel data source from English secondary care.

For those antibiotics with high linkage, HTI might be used to study associations between indication, dispensing, and outcomes. However, the majority of common antibiotics had insufficient linkage, likely due to extensive use of ward stocks. Therefore, HTI in its current form is not suitable for general antibiotic surveillance or evaluation of stewardship initiatives. For drugs in HTI other than antibiotics, linkage should be similarly evaluated before a study is conducted.