Table 1.

Design Features of the ASIPS Database and Administrative System

Database features

• Contact information and medical error information are stored in separate databases

• Reports are assigned a random 10-digit identifier

• Contact information is automatically deleted at a predetermined time after report submission

• Coding process creates database objects that describe types of events to be tracked over time and place

• Database objects are tracked to practice name and general time once a critical mass of similar objects exists in the database, but no specific event can be traced to a time or location

• Data can be transferred to a third party for analysis; updated fields are used to track changes without any time/date stamping

Administrative system features

• All administration and data management tasks are handled through Web interface (leaving no paper trail)

• Administrative tasks related to processing reports are labeled and embedded into each event report to manage workflow