Standardizing ICU Data Across Europe: Development of the INDICATE Minimal Data Dictionary

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Clinical Data Management
• Medical Data Standards

Background:

• Federated European ICU data infrastructure necessitates semantic interoperability across diverse clinical settings.
• Standardized terminologies (LOINC, SNOMED CT) present challenges due to multiple codes per concept, hindering interoperability.
• Explicit harmonization guidance is crucial for effective data integration in critical care research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a standardized data dictionary for European ICU data.
• To facilitate semantic interoperability and data harmonization across heterogeneous clinical settings.
• To support federated infrastructure development for critical care research.

Main Methods:

• An iterative, consensus-based development process involving clinical experts and data scientists.
• Creation of the INDICATE Minimal Data Dictionary defining standardized OHDSI concept sets.
• Development of a web-based application for terminology selection and mapping guidance.

Main Results:

• The INDICATE dictionary covers nine clinical domains and supports six use cases.
• The approach reduces terminology ambiguity and adapts to local ICU practices.
• Scalable data harmonization was achieved across 15 European data providers from 12 countries.

Conclusions:

• The INDICATE Minimal Data Dictionary enables semantic interoperability for federated European ICU data.
• Expert-curated guidance facilitates terminology harmonization, enhancing data quality.
• This framework supports scalable and adaptable data integration for critical care research across Europe.