Design considerations of a database system in a clinical network environment

Abstract

A database system designed in the context of a clinical network incorporating small computers, automated clinical instruments, and a variety of terminals is described. The database system is used for clinical data acquisition, research support, and clinical decision making support. The database system is based upon the relational approach, with important modifications to meet above design objectives and provide means for dynamic database reconfiguration. Its characteristics include: definition of elementary files as tables, a database skeleton describing the structure and contents of files in the database, a low-level database manipulation language based upon the Relational Algebra, and a frame-oriented user interface for high-level database manipulation.