Rapid patient cohort selection utilizing a bit array database field

Most clinical information systems have leveraged relational databases to identify patient cohorts. However, as the number of criteria increase for cohort selection, there is an exponential rise in the query complexity. Nevertheless, by identifying criteria a priori, assigning a Boolean value and aggregating the results into a bit array database field, we can reduce the complexity of such cohort patient selection to a linear model dependent only the number of patients and criteria.