FAQ's

• Does the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) contain integrated clinical and financial data?
• Can the Data Resource Center host my data set even if it's small?
• Where can I find what is stored in the EDW?
• Do I need to involve the IRB for research data?
• What about pre-research data?
• How far back in time does the EDW go?
• Is the data stored in the EDW safe?
• How is the data within the EDW accessed? Can I create my own reports?

• Q: Does the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) contain integrated clinical and financial data?
  
  A: Yes, in fact the EDW contains eight years of integrated clinical and financial data. The EDW includes over 1.4 million patient demographic records.



• Q: Can the Data Resource Center host my dataset even if it's small?
  
  A: There are no restrictions regarding the size of the datasets that are stored in the EDW.



• Q: Where can I find what is stored in the EDW?
  
  A: The data stored in the EDW include patient demographics, registration and visits, physician scheduling, professional billing, Hospital direct and indirect cost data, family history, social history, guarantors, insurance, room trace, community clinic and EMR data, orders, problem lists, diagnosis, procedures, accidents, surgical history, allergies, height and weight, medications, radiology results, general lab, microbiology and pathology results, blood gases, clinical notes, outpatient documentation, operative and discharge reports, CEM alerts, epidemiological results and immunizations.



• Q: Do I need to involve the IRB for research data?
  
  A: Yes, the IRB needs to approve your research. However, we can facilitate that process for you. Please complete the Data Request Form. After completing this form, we can take it from there and would be delighted to assist you with the remainder of the IRB requirements.



• Q: What about pre-research data?
  
  A: There is not a requirement for IRB approval as long as the pre-research data does not include patient identifiers.
  
  
• Q: How far back in time does the EDW go?
  
  A: The EDW includes data from as far back as 1990 and continues to receive real-time data feeds from numerous systems.



• Q: Is the data stored in the EDW safe?
  
  A: A sophisticated security system protects the data contained within the EDW. This system allows data access only to those users to whom rights have been granted. It is the owner of the data who determines the access rights.



• Q: How is the data within the EDW accessed? Can I create my own reports?
  
  A: The DRC offers a suite of reporting tools provided by Cognos for you to generate business intelligence (the process of transforming your data to information to knowledge). These powerful, user-friendly, Web-based tools allow you to create your own reports for reviewing and analyzing the data stored within the EDW. This suite of tools includes a report-writer, a data analyzer as well as a query tool. Each are not only easy to use but also are functionally very powerful.


In addition to a number of training opportunities offered by Cognos, the DRC can also provide this service. Contact us for more information.