MDE V1.0 Features & Benefits

Introduction

The M Data Extractor (MDE) is an intermediary (middleware) software component that makes possible robust, high performance connections between the FileManager database, residing on an M/Caché system, and an SQL server. From such a server, it is then possible to perform data analysis using modern, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software tools such as ad hoc report generation systems, decision support systems, and relational database systems.

The MDE consists of desktop-based and server-based components. The MDE server component provides scheduled, batch, high-speed data extractions of those FileManager-based M/Caché files and fields that are most commonly sought, namely, demographics, lab tests and admissions. The desktop component allows users to extract data interactively from any FileManager-based files and fields on an ad hoc basis. And, although the desktop component is flexible, it is most useful for moderate-volume extractions, relative to the high-volume server component.

The Problem of Analyzing a Vast Data Store

FileManager, with M/Caché’s transaction-based design, can satisfy nearly every requirement of a hospital information system. However, when it becomes necessary to analyze in-depth and ad hoc data, FileManager-based M/Caché is not well suited to the task for the following reasons:

The reporting capabilities of FileManager-based M/Caché, while powerful, are not easy to learn.

FileManager consumes a significant portion of system resources when complex reports are executed.

The resulting operational data is usually not in the form that users want, since the data often contains internal codes, unneeded groupings of data items and redundant data fields.

The Solution: The MDE

The MDE performs data migration from FileManager-based M/Caché's hierarchical format to SQL databases, such as Microsoft SQL Server's high-performance relational format, while transforming the hierarchical data relationships within FileManager-based M/Caché to equivalent relationally-based linkages. Once this data transformation is performed, third-party tools allow the migrated data to be fully analyzed.

Features and Benefits

The M Data Extractor offers several features and benefits because it does the following:

Accesses right-out-of-the-box FileManager-based M/Caché file categories, such as:

Predefined (demographics, medications, admission / discharge)
Customed (group your own files)

Extracts data from FileManager-based M/Caché databases to any SQL database, data warehouse, or data mart

Allows the use of COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) data analysis tools which permit the following:

Natural language specifications and graphical diagrams
User control over the type and appearance of data on reports, using functions that sort and filter data

Enables administrators, clinicians, and researchers to analyze their own data

Allows administrators to view trends in large amounts of data using the server component — clinicians and researchers to extract data from more specialized FileManager files using the desktop component
Allows extractions to be performed without the need to involve I/S personnel

Converts FileManager data types to standard SQL data types, enabling users to take advantage of the COTS tool functionality that is available when data is stored as standard SQL data types

Filters data as it is extracted so only the desired data is actually extracted

Offloads slow-running, computationally-intensive FileManager-based M/Caché reports from primary hospital data systems to Microsoft SQL Server-equipped peripheral systems without impacting production.

Provides scalability — since M itself is highly scalable, so the MDE is also scalable

Uses data warehousing and data mart tools to:

Structure large amounts of data into a format suitable for providing answers to questions that healthcare analysts and epidemiologists wish to determine, such as:

-Persian Gulf veterans who have never been seen in the Persian Gulf Clinic

-Numbers of World War II Veterans taking various types of hypertensive medications

-Outcomes of treating specific diseases with different approaches

-Efficacy of lab tests to determine disease prognoses

-Total costs incurred for the same illnesses treated at different sites

-Forecasting of trends

Combine data from different departments, such as clinical and financial, to create insightful data "views"
Use executive information-type systems for decision support

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Contact SRS Corporate at 978-531-0905

E-mail:

Address:West Peabody Office Park
83 Pine Street
Peabody, MA 01960
USA