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The Clinical Dataset Library – Part of Aridhia’s Metadata Services
There’s a proverb, frequently attributed to Mrs Isabella Beeton, which states “A place for everything and everything in its place” and that is exactly what the Aridhia Clinical Dataset Library does. Accessed via the web, its user-friendly and intuitive interface, allows the user to easily navigate the application and then store, browse and retrieve common clinical datasets.
Often the same can’t be said when working in a healthcare setting. Dataset definitions required for projects or used for national submission are more often than not, obtained from various IT systems. This can make it difficult for the user to know which system to use as the “source of truth”.
Part of my role within the company, requires me to build health related datasets for our applications ensuring they are aligned to National Standards. This means I have to search the internet to find the various locations in which the data is stored. For example although Radiotherapy is regularly used as part of a cancer treatment plan, the full Radiotherapy Dataset is on a different NHS site to the Cancer Outcomes and Services Dataset (COSD). This also applies to chemotherapy, so before we even start to build a cancer dataset, we’ve had to search three different sites!
The Aridhia Clinical Dataset Library helps resolve this issue by providing a secure, consolidated online repository of dataset definitions for use in a clinical setting or project environments.
Dataset definitions stored in the Aridhia Library adhere to NHS England standards for data collections, for example Cancer Outcomes and Services Dataset (COSD) and the British Association for Urological Surgeons (BAUS). The application is regularly maintained by Aridhia to ensure alignment with the current HSCIC published versions. The application also version tracks each dataset definition, ensuring current and previous iterations are available for use.
The application has a search function at the top of the homepage which allows users to filter out unwanted datasets, enabling them to focus on the definition they want to work with.
Once the dataset definition has been identified, users will click on the link and at a glance will see the record fields required to define that particular disease or condition.
There are also plans to house Aridhia’s Laboratory and Disease/Condition specific datasets. These will hold a more granular content and have been built and designed in collaboration with clinicians and laboratory specialists. These dataset definitions will allow the user to further define the disease or condition by collecting additional information, such as Risk Factors, which are not normally required as part of the national NHS submissions requirement.
The Aridhia Dataset Library also provides users with a template that can be used to record bespoke and project specific dataset definitions.
These definitions, including any look-up lists and external references, can then be uploaded to the Library.
Use the upload link on the homepage to navigate to your chosen file then submit your selection. The dataset definition will now display on the application homepage.
The image below shows some of the record fields used to build a dataset definition. The example shown is part of the dataset for Children Teens and Young Adults, Renal Cancer dataset definition (CTYA – Renal).
The application also allows the user to select the most suitable format (XML, CSV or even an SQL statement) to export and share the dataset with colleagues.
Using the Aridhia Clinical Dataset Library as the single source of truth will allow the user to validate their own data against a pre-defined dataset definition.
By keeping clinical datasets together in one safe, searchable interface the Aridhia Dataset Library helps the user to become more like Mrs Beeton, or was it Benjamin Franklin?