Custom-made database enabling a quick search for patients fulfilling specific criteria. A simple and effective tool for clinical data collection for scientific purposes

• Main Authors: Paweł Daszkiewicz, Zuzanna Daszkiewicz, Piotr Daszkiewicz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Medical Communications Sp. z o.o. 2018-11-01
• Series: Aktualności Neurologiczne
• Subjects: medical records; database; search criteria
• Online Access: http://www.neurologia.com.pl/index.php/issues/2018-vol-18-no-3/custom-made-database-enabling-a-quick-search-for-patients-fulfilling-specific-criteria-a-simple-and-effective-tool-for-clinical-data-collection-for-scientific-purposes?aid=1004

Introduction: Every evidence-based scientific work requires precise and reliable data. In clinical medicine, this means searching for patients fulfilling specific criteria. Unfortunately, most hospital-operated information systems are designed to process data concerning treatment of specific patients, mainly in its medical and administrative aspects, while a crosssectional search for patients with a specific pathology at a specific location is difficult if not impossible. Therefore, most of these databases are essentially useless for scientific purposes. Material and method: Based on medical records of all patients treated at our facility, we have created a simple database enabling a quick search for patients fulfilling specific criteria. We used Microsoft® Office Access® software installed on a standard PC. Structure and the use of database are described in detail. Results: Our database contains basic information about 16,126 patients treated over 38 years and occupies 5.19 MB. To date, 48 queries have been performed, providing reliable scientific material. Conclusion: This is an effective and comprehensive tool for the search of patients or items fulfilling specific criteria. To the best of our knowledge, such a tool for the management of clinical data has not been described to-date. After introducing appropriate modifications, a similar database will be very useful in every clinical centre.