The Link King System
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A The Link King System is a Person Record Duplicate Detection System.
- Context:
- It integrates a Deterministic Duplicate Record Detection Algorithm with a Probabilistic Duplicate Record Detection Algorithm.
- It support automatic data-driven classification of record pairs into a linkage ‘certainty’ hierarchy
- It can calculate distance between US ZIP Code centroids.
- It can use the Jaro-Winkler string comparison (with prefix and long-string adjustments).
- It can use Phonetic Matching (Double Metaphone, NYSIIS and Soundex).
- It can use Approximate String Functions and Spelling Distance Functions.
- It can use Person Nickname in the Record Matching Function.
- It can predict Person Sex from Person Name.
- It can randomize record pairs for validation
- It is developed at Washington State’s Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse using a probabilistic algorithm developed by MEDSTAT for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- It operates on MS Windows Operating System.
- It requires a license to Base SAS.
- See: RP Link Plus System.
References
- http://www.the-link-king.com
- The Link King has fashioned a powerful alliance between sophisticated probabilistic record linkage and deterministic record linkage protocols incorporating features unavailable in many proprietary record linkage programs. (detailed overview )
- The Link King’s probabilistic record linkage protocol was adapted from the algorithm developed by MEDSTAT for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Integrated Database Project. The deterministic record linkage protocols were developed at Washington State’s Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse for use in a variety of evaluation and research projects.
- The Link King’s graphical user interface (GUI) makes record linkage and unduplication easy for beginning and advanced users. The data linking neophyte will appreciate the easy-to-follow instructions. The Link King's artificial intelligence will assist in the selection of the most appropriate linkage/unduplication protocol. The technical wizard will appreciate the discussion of data linkage/unduplication issues in The Link King’s user manual, the variety of user-specified options for blocking and linkage decisions, and the powerful interface for manual review of “uncertain” linkages.
- The Link King requires a base SAS license but NO SAS programming experience. If you have a SAS dataset, a SPSS portable file, an EXCEL spreadsheet, or a comma/tab delimited file, The Link King can do the rest. The Link King v6.4 requires SAS v9.0 or higher but v6.3 is compatible with SAS v8.
- http://www.the-link-king.com/user_manual.zip
- This manual is a working document to assist users of the integrated deterministic and probabilistic linkages routines developed by Kevin Campbell of Washington’s Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA). This manual provides an overview of the matching strategy and specific instructions for preparing the dataset. It begins with a tutorial that walks one through the unduplication/linking process using a testing dataset. Following the tutorial guidelines for preparation of data are provided.
2008
- (Campbell et al., 2008) ⇒ Kevin M. Campbell, Dennis Deck, and Antoinette Krupski. (2008). “Record linkage software in the public domain: a comparison of Link Plus, The Link King, and a `basic' deterministic algorithm.” In: Health Informatics Journal 14(1).
2005
- (Campbell, 2005) ⇒ Kevin M. Campbell. (2005). “Rule Your Data with The Link King©: a SAS/AF® application for record linkage and unduplication.” In: Proceedings of 30th SAS Users Group Meeting (SUGI 30).
- Administrative datasets containing client identifying information (names, birthdates, SSNs) are often used for a variety of research and evaluation projects. The projects often require the linking of two or more independently maintained client rosters in order to track service utilization across different systems. Unfortunately, a given client may be represented with slightly different identifying information both within and across administrative datasets. Discrepancies arise from a variety of reasons including:
- Use of nicknames
- Hyphenated names
- Misspelled names
- Transposed SSN digits
- Transposed date fields
- Administrative datasets containing client identifying information (names, birthdates, SSNs) are often used for a variety of research and evaluation projects. The projects often require the linking of two or more independently maintained client rosters in order to track service utilization across different systems. Unfortunately, a given client may be represented with slightly different identifying information both within and across administrative datasets. Discrepancies arise from a variety of reasons including: