Data flow

Terminology

Reports Aristotle Score Central database Fundamental diagnosis Outcome assigned to Primary procedure Small procedures

Report parameters

Thirty days mortality Hospital mortality Length of stay Basic Score

Data

Validation Validation rules Entry ratio Flow Verification Source data verification Selective entry Backup

The Data Flow until the end of 2004

There were two basic ways of submitting data to the database.

echdd6.exe

This is the piece of software used to collect and submit data. echdd6 is written in C++, and is available to download in binary form from ECDB's website. This application is avaliable only for Windows platform, and it's intended to be installed locally in the hospital, on the PC. Some Windows systems require additional database libraries installation. They are also available to download.

The echdd6 application makes use of the Windows database libraries and stores its data in MDB file, which can be read with Access97 application. Hence the need for database libraries.

This application allows users to enter the data and export it. Exporting means sending the data to the data manager, who imports the it into main database. Not all of the data is exported. The patients' names for instance, remain in the local PC.

Web interface

Web Client Interface, also referred as the Data Entry Form is intended to be substitute to the client application. It is written in Python language and allows users to enter the data directly into the main database, without need of exporting. However, the data is not visible in the reports immediately, because it must first pass validation procedure.

Data Validation Procedure

See the article: data validation.

The data-flow graph. -- This graph shows the data flow, concentrating on the data validation procedure.

Data entry from year 2005

From year 2005 data is gathered with EACTS Database Software version 7.0.

The validation rules

The validation rules are stored in the file ValidationRules.xml, which is a XML file of the simple format. Validation rules apply to the "operation" table only. If one or more rules are not matched, the record appears in "data validation" part of the web interface, and the hospital is asked to either correct the data, or to check that the data is correct.

The Validation Rules file is in XML format for flexibility and easy editing. You can read the rules here: ValidationRules.xml. The validation mechanism was re-written from old CSV-like config file in August 2004.

See also: Data validation.