Electronic protocol for clinical data collection in chronic visceral ischemia

Abstract

Patients with vascular diseases present with a long medical history which makes for complex and confusing medical records. Electronic record systems have a large storage capacity and high information processing capabilities, and may therefore improve the quality and reliability of prospective clinical studies. In the present study, a theoretical framework for clinical data collection in chronic visceral ischemia was created containing 5706 items, organized into six major categories: medical history, physical examination, laboratory testing, diagnosis, treatment and outcome. The database was used to construct an electronic data collection protocol, which was uploaded into the Integrated Electronic Protocol System (Sistema Integrado de Protocolos Eletrônicos, SINPE©) and then used to perform retrospective collection and analysis of clinical data from 10 patients using the SINPE© analysis module.

Protocolo eletrônico multiprofissional de coleta de dados clínicos e cirúrgicos em insuficiência venosa crônica

“…Electronic protocols increase the precision of records, enabling prospective and multicenter studies, in addition to increasing the accuracy of scientific research. [29][30][31] However, use of the electronic protocol is in no way a substitute for patient medical records. The main difference between the two is that the protocol contains sources of information on a specific group of diseases, in contrast with patient medical records, which are specific to an individual patient and do not follow rigid completion criteria.…”

“…The aim of this gradual change is to rationalize the time spent in medical consultations and facilitate retrieval of patients' histories. [29][30][31]…”