Enhancing real world data interoperability in healthcare: A methodological approach to laboratory unit harmonization

IF 3.7 2区 医学 Q2 COMPUTER SCIENCE, INFORMATION SYSTEMS International Journal of Medical Informatics Pub Date : 2024-10-28 DOI:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2024.105665
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Abstract

Objective

The primary aim of this study is to address the critical issue of non-standardized units in clinical laboratory data, which poses significant challenges to data interoperability and secondary usage. Despite UCUM (Unified Code for Units of Measure) offering a unique representation for laboratory test units, nearly 60% of laboratory codes in healthcare organizations use non-standard units. We sought to design, implement and test a methodology for the harmonization of units to the UCUM standards across a large research network.

Methods

Using dimensional analysis and a curated equivalence table, the proposed methodology harmonizes disparate units to UCUM standards. The process focused on identifying and converting non-UCUM conforming units, with the goal of enhancing data comparability and interoperability across different systems.

Results

The methodology successfully achieved over 90% coverage of laboratory data with units in UCUM standards across the TriNetX research network, a significant improvement from baseline measurements. This enhancement in unit standardization directly contributed to increased interoperability of laboratory data, facilitating more reliable and comparable data analysis across various healthcare organizations.

Conclusion

The successful harmonization of laboratory data units to UCUM standards represents a significant advancement in the field of biomedical informatics. By demonstrating a practical and effective approach to overcoming the challenges of non-standardized units, our study contributes to the broader efforts to improve data interoperability and usability for secondary purposes such as research and observational studies. Future work will focus on addressing the remaining gaps in unit standardization and exploring the implications of this methodology on clinical outcomes and research capabilities.

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加强医疗保健领域真实世界数据的互操作性:实验室单位统一的方法论
目的本研究的主要目的是解决临床实验室数据中的非标准化单位这一关键问题,因为它给数据互操作性和二次使用带来了巨大挑战。尽管 UCUM(计量单位统一代码)为实验室检验单位提供了独特的表示方法,但医疗机构中近 60% 的实验室代码使用的是非标准单位。我们试图在一个大型研究网络中设计、实施并测试一种将单位统一为 UCUM 标准的方法。方法利用维度分析和策划的等价表,建议的方法将不同的单位统一为 UCUM 标准。这一过程的重点是识别和转换不符合 UCUM 标准的单位,目的是提高不同系统间的数据可比性和互操作性。结果该方法成功地使 TriNetX 研究网络中符合 UCUM 标准的单位覆盖了 90% 以上的实验室数据,与基线测量值相比有了显著提高。这种单位标准化的提高直接促进了实验室数据互操作性的增强,为不同医疗机构之间进行更可靠、更可比的数据分析提供了便利。 结论实验室数据单位与 UCUM 标准的成功统一是生物医学信息学领域的一大进步。通过展示克服非标准化单位挑战的实用有效方法,我们的研究为提高数据互操作性和二次用途(如研究和观察性研究)的可用性做出了更广泛的贡献。未来的工作将重点解决单位标准化方面的其余差距,并探索这种方法对临床结果和研究能力的影响。
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来源期刊
International Journal of Medical Informatics
International Journal of Medical Informatics 医学-计算机:信息系统
CiteScore
8.90
自引率
4.10%
发文量
217
审稿时长
42 days
期刊介绍: International Journal of Medical Informatics provides an international medium for dissemination of original results and interpretative reviews concerning the field of medical informatics. The Journal emphasizes the evaluation of systems in healthcare settings. The scope of journal covers: Information systems, including national or international registration systems, hospital information systems, departmental and/or physician''s office systems, document handling systems, electronic medical record systems, standardization, systems integration etc.; Computer-aided medical decision support systems using heuristic, algorithmic and/or statistical methods as exemplified in decision theory, protocol development, artificial intelligence, etc. Educational computer based programs pertaining to medical informatics or medicine in general; Organizational, economic, social, clinical impact, ethical and cost-benefit aspects of IT applications in health care.
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