What does retrospective data analysis utilize?

Retrospective data analysis leverages data from past incidents, such as Patient Care Reports (PCRs). This type of analysis involves looking back at previously collected data to identify trends, outcomes, and patterns that can inform future practices and decision-making.

By utilizing historical data, professionals can assess the effectiveness of interventions, understand patient demographics, and evaluate the quality of care provided over time. This is especially crucial in the medical field, where evidence-based practices are developed and refined based on outcomes from earlier cases.

In contrast, the other options focus on different aspects of data collection and analysis. Real-time event observation relates to ongoing data collection during events as they happen, while data from predictive models involves forecasting future events based on current data and existing trends. Current data from ongoing events examines present circumstances, which does not align with the purpose of retrospective analysis. Therefore, the correct focus on past incidents is what makes the chosen answer most accurate.