A data model for intensive care

The paper describes a model of clinical management data in a typical general intensive care unit, intended as a generic database specification for advanced intensive care computer systems. The data model was developed as part of the INFORM project. The INFORM project is summarised and the relevance of the data model to the objectives of the project are discussed. An object oriented extension to the entity relationship diagram methodology is presented. The methodology is illustrated with reference to some specific aspects of the data model including: the principle clinical entities; classification of patient state related data and the homogeneous patient group system. It is suggested that such a model will contribute to the better understanding of the data in the system, to the better design of future intensive care computer systems and to the setting of standards for medical data.