Computerized Database to Identify Patent Populations for Clinical Research

Abstract

The authors have written a computer program for IBM PC-compatible personal computers to index patient records. Diagnoses (≤10) are indexed according to the Wilmer Information System, an ophthalmologic extension of the World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9) codes. Procedures and treatments (≤12) are indexed by the American Medical Association Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. Demographic data, the names of referring physicians, and an 80-character comment field are stored for each patient. A list of up to 12 medications may be maintained. Text and ICD-9 and CPT codes are stored which permit key word searches for code numbers. Lists of patients may be retrieved and combined on the basis of diagnosis or procedure code, medication, referring physician, or by the contents of the comment field. An executable version of the program, which maintains files in the Ashton-Tate dBASE III format, is available from the authors at no charge.