The single source architecture x4T to connect medical documentation and clinical research.

Clinical trials often require large and redundant documentation efforts, because information systems in patient care and research are separated. In two clinical trials we have assessed the number of study items available in the clinical information system for re-use in clinical research. We have analysed common standards such as HL7, IHE RFD and CDISC ODM, regulatory constraints and the documentation process. Based on this analysis we have designed and implemented an architecture for an integrated clinical trial documentation workflow. Key aspects are the re-use of existing medical routine data and the integration into current documentation workflows.

Single source information systems to connect patient care and clinical research.

Currently documentation processes for routine patient care and clinical research are kept separate (dual source). Due to overlaps between routine and research documentation, a single source approach provides opportunities to improve efficiency of medical documentation given the large workload of physicians related to documentation. Organisational, technical and regulatory conditions need to be considered for the design of single source systems. We present a single source architecture for clinical studies and provide results from pilot implementations.