Analytics services and solutions for MEDITECH.

What are indexes? Simply put, indexes in a SQL Server database are structures that speed up data access from tables and views. There are two types of indexes: clustered and nonclustered. Since any database table can only have a single primary key (therefore, a single clustered index), nonclustered indexes are what we as developers and analysts can optionally use to improve query performance. 

Working with data these days seems to be all about metrics, measurements, and numbers. Healthcare data of course is no exception, just think of the many different contexts of numeric values possible in the MEDITECH EHR: lab test results, patient counts, drug dosages, account balances and budgets – the list is long. Fortunately, SQL Server gives us some tools to work with and manipulate numeric values to the sometimes very precise formats we need in a clinical context.

I often find myself having the same conversation with folks about the health of the data in MEDITECH’S Data Repository (DR).  I remind them that if they use the DR for reporting, but don’t have a process to maintain data health and accuracy, then they shouldn’t be using DR. Keeping DR data healthy is easy, it’s just a matter of knowing what to do and when to do it.

The ability to scan a patient record into the system greatly improves workflow and reduces errors. Did you know that it's easy to use barcodes on reports from Data Repository?