Clinical Research – Clinical Warehouse Data Access

Clinical Data Access for Researchers
The Clinical Data Warehouse.In late 2005, Boston Medical Center embarked on a new project to bring data at the hospital into a single relational data warehouse. This means that clinical researchers who have IRB/HIPAA approval can now, with the help of a database developer–

  • get data with a single query (rather than searching manually)
  • cross-reference data from Logician, SDK, SCM, OR and ED
  • get simple patient counts defined by some user specified criteria
  • relate local data with BMC data
  • search text files (physician notes, pathology reports, etc.) for keywords
  • and more, depending on the researcher’s needs

Get Started

If your protocol has been approved by HIPAA and/or the IRB, then click here to download the data request form. Note that there is a charge for accessing the Data Warehouse for research purposes. To find out more about charges, click here. E-mail the Clinical Data Warehouse Research Manager Linda Rosen with your completed request forms (request and invoice), and questions or requests for meetings to discuss your particular data needs.

Policies And Procedures


Currently data from the following systems are available:
SDK – Registration [start date: 10/03]

  • Patient demographics
  • Patient and Provider contact data
  • Diagnoses(ICD-9 codes) related to a visit
  • Procedure info (CPT codes) related to a visit
  • Admission and Discharge date/time
  • Service Area Information
  • ER Admission and Discharge date/time
  • Insurance Information
  • Visit Charges
 Logician – Outpatient data [start date: 1999]

  • Patient contact information
  • Appointment Information (past and future)
  • Observation Data – template info
  • Problem List items
  • Orders – referrals and tests
  • Laboratory Results
  • Pathology Reports
  • Physician Notes
  • Radiology (text format)
  • Allergy Information
  • Medication Information
  • Flags
SCM – Inpatient [start date: 2001]

  • Patient Information
  • Visit Information
  • Lab Values
  • Orders
  • Documents
  • Allergy/Allergen Information
 PICIS – Operating Room [start date: 3/04]

  • Patient Demographic Information
  • Surgery Booking Information
  • Case Record data
  • Surgery Procedure Information
IBEX – Emergency Dept [start date: 11/2004]

  • Admit and Discharge Dates
  • Length of Stay
  • Transaction Data
 Tumor Registry [start date: mid 1980's]

  • Patient Information
  • Tumor Site
  • Stage
  • Date of Initial Diagnosis
AICE – Infection Data [start date: 1/2000]

  • Patient Information
  • Infection Date
  • Infection Site
  • Pathogen
 IDX – Appointment Information [Limited Dates]

  • Date/Time of Appointment
  • Appointment Status
  • Appointment Location
Other data sources will be added in the future.
Linda Rosen can assist researchers in the development of identified/de-identified datasets, recurring reports, web access to formatted queries and other datasets.The following links will help you get started on a new proposal:
Office of Clinical Research
IRB Website
Prep To Research Form		 HIPAA Security and Research Rules
Is Your Research Covered By HIPAA’s Privacy Rule?
Click here to download a data request form. Contact Linda Rosen with questions.
Primary teaching affiliate
of BU School of Medicine