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Methods Inf Med 1995; 34(04): 328-339
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1634607
Original Article

A Graphical Query Generator for Clinical Research Databases

F. Banhart
1   University Eye Hospital Tübingen, Dept. II, Institute of Informatics, Germany
,
H. Klaeren
2   University of Tübingen, Institute of Informatics, Germany
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Abstract:

Clinical research involves recording, storage and retrieval of disease-related patient data, typically using a database system. In order to facilitate ad hoc queries to clinical databases we have developed a query generator with a graphical interface. The query generator uses an object-oriented data model which is visualized by directed graphs. The main focus of our work was the definition of object-oriented user views to the partly complex data structures of a relational database. Furthermore, we tried to define graphical abstractions for all common types of queries. Thus, even for non-expert database users such as clinicians, it is easy to assemble highly complex queries for a thorough examination of the content of large research databases.

Keywords:

Graphical Query Languages - Object-Oriented Data Models - Database Management Systems - Clinical Research - Medical Information Systems


Publication History

Article published online:
16 February 2018

Schattauer GmbH

 

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