Object Oriented Framework for Managing Clinical Data

Traditional relational database management systems have inherent problems representing clinical andepidemiological data and supporting easy data access by the clinical investigator. Emerging object dholds the promise of addressing these problems and providing a data environment for clinical and epithat is both more flexible and more accessible. The Phase I project will explore this potential y cooriented clinical data a base framework and using it to represent an important existing longitudinaland reproductive history data maintained by the Tremin Trust Research Program on Women's Health. Theon collaborations with scientists at the University of Utah and at Children's Hospital in Boston. Phtest a full software prototype of an object-oriented clinical data management system, based on the fI. The major anticipated technical innovation is the use of object-oriented computer technology to drepresentations that capture the full richness of clinical information and make it more easily accesinvestigator. The major anticipated health-related contribution is an improved ability to manage, recommunicate the content of major clinical and epidemiological data resources.