The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) needed a software program to link incidents between the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the Indiana Trauma Registry, transfers from hospital to hospital, and incidents between the trauma and rehabilitation databases.
A roadmap for determining which software to purchase and which steps needed to be considered was created, using Flannagan, Rupp and Mann’s Summary of a Roadmap for Linking Crash, EMS, and Medical Outcome Data at the State Level as a template.
METHODS:
Ten steps were completed in the roadmap for linking data. The first was to find and collaborate with all agencies that house the databases. Second, the schemas and inclusion criteria for each database were compiled. Next, a list of which databases would be linked was made and then common variables between those databases were recorded. Fifth, which type of linkage (deterministic, probabilistic, hand linkage) and how to store the data were determined. The data elements used for linking would be put in the same format and a sample would be run. A year’s worth of data would be used to determine stable weights and then statewide linkage would be pursued.
RESULTS:
All of the databases (EMS, trauma and rehabilitation) are housed at the ISDH. Formats and schemas were determined and harmonized by referencing the data dictionaries. These dictionaries were also referenced when searching for elements which, used together, would provide a highly confident match. Since there is no unique variable that follows a patient throughout the three databases and for ease of linkage and review of the results, probabilistic software was chosen. Fourteen programs with nine essential criteria were reviewed. A plan was made for data storage. Stable weights were made by running a sample file and then a year’s worth of data.
Two programs provided a demonstration of their product. LinkSolv 2009 was chosen for purchase based on the cost and support available in training to use the software and for continued support.
CONCLUSIONS:
The ISDH created and followed a roadmap for linking EMS to trauma incidents, hospital to hospital transfers and hospital to rehabilitation incidents. Two programs demonstrated their products and LinkSolv 2009 was chosen.