SUMER: a database concept for clinical research and patient data-management.
A new database model is presented for patient information systems and clinical research database. Its main objective is to deal easily with the changing needs in data structure and organization and to make the model free of computing or programming related considerations. Based on the relational and entity relationship models, it allows the creation of records and files; records may belong to as many files as one wishes. Conditions introduced at the definition level make it very easy to define subfiles on selected criteria without the need to write an extraction program. A database modification step allows the reorganisation of an already existing database without any programming. Tested on several cases the model is presently at the development stage on a DEC VAX750 computer.
D003201:Computers; D007256:Information Systems; D008499:Medical Records; D012106:Research