EpiCore-A Common Data Model for Pharmacoepidemiological Studies in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Pharmacoepidemiology
• Data Management

Background:

• Increasing use of Common Data Models (CDMs) in research.
• Complexity of existing CDMs poses a barrier to adoption.
• Need for simpler CDMs for specific use cases, such as local and collaborative studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose the EpiCore CDM, a simple framework for Scandinavian pharmacoepidemiological studies.
• To address the complexity barrier of existing CDM frameworks.
• To facilitate data harmonization and collaboration in pharmacoepidemiology.

Main Methods:

• Developed based on guiding principles for accessibility and usability.
• Prioritizes structural and syntactic harmonization, deferring clinical concept mapping.
• Designed for both collaborative and single-site settings, with quality control support.
• Integrated with an R-package (EpiCoreAssistant) for compliance testing.

Main Results:

• The EpiCore CDM includes mandatory administrative tables (person, observation) and optional event/lookup tables.
• A specification template and an R-package (EpiCoreAssistant) facilitate implementation and quality control.
• Customization of the CDM is supported through the template and testing procedures.
• Demonstrates a step-by-step process for CDM-based pharmacoepidemiological studies.

Conclusions:

• Presents the EpiCore CDM, a simple framework with a specification template and R package.
• Offers improved workflows, standardization, and collaboration for Scandinavian pharmacoepidemiological studies.
• Relevant for a wide range of register-based healthcare researchers.