Determining the required data elements to develop the information management system for Iranian traditional medicine

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Health Informatics
• Traditional Medicine Documentation

Background:

• Lack of a standardized data collection tool for Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM) hinders information management.
• Existing data platforms for conventional medicine are unsuitable for ITM due to differing diagnostic and treatment paradigms.
• Non-comparable data collected in ITM reduces the generalizability of findings and clinical insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a minimum data set (MDS) for the unified reporting of diseases and interventions in Iranian Traditional Medicine.
• To establish a standardized framework for documenting ITM practices, improving data consistency and comparability.

Main Methods:

• A multi-phased study involving literature review, a modified Delphi technique with 34 ITM experts, and content validity assessment (CVR/CVI).
• Candidate data items were identified from scientific databases, grey literature, and existing ITM information systems.
• A 5-point Likert scale was used to rate item importance, with 80% agreement required for inclusion in the ITM-MDS.

Main Results:

• A consensus was reached on the Iranian Traditional Medicine Minimum Data Set (ITM-MDS) comprising 291 items.
• The ITM-MDS is organized into seven categories: patient admission, medical history, six principles of health preservation, objective signs, subjective symptoms, body system examination, and care plans.

Conclusions:

• The developed ITM-MDS facilitates information exchange and resource sharing among ITM care settings.
• This standardized dataset enables comprehensive and structured documentation of medical records in ITM.
• The ITM-MDS is expected to enhance the quality of care and support clinical decision-making in Iranian Traditional Medicine.