title: Designing clinical databases.
abstract: Evidence-based medicine has always relied on databases. Anyone who needs to know anything about the outcome of a treatment needs a database, but individual practitioners may feel that database design is beyond them for various reasons. Effective database design does not require complexity. This article seeks to be a practical guide for those who are contemplating development of their own database.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Washington Medical Center, Box 356515, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. coltrera@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Marc D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Coltrera
mesh_terms: D016494:Computer Security; D003219:Confidentiality; D003628:Database Management Systems; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000458:organization & administration