LEGACY SYSTEMS DATA RESCUE

Brief Description:

Hospitals have many legacy information systems that are abandoned or collapsing as their maintenance contracts run out, the expertise on how to use them withers with the turnover of staff, and some data ceases to be entered as aspirations for new generation systems climb. These systems require data to be rescued for the hospital to fulfil its legal obligations and/or for staff research to progress.

List of Rescued Systems to Date (March 2008)

Pathology (OMNI-Lab, HOSREP) - SOUTH EAST AREA LABORAOTORY SERVICE (SEALS)

Cardiology   (CARDS), CARDIOLOGY UNIT, SWAHS

Blood bank (HOS-LAB), SOUTH WEST AREA PATHOLOGY SERVICE (SWAPS)

Breast Screening, NSW BREAST SCREENING.

Project Aim:

 The aim of this project is to retrieve data from decaying and moribund legacy information systems and place the data in a modern usable repository .

Project Objectives:

1. to rescue important data so that it is properly documented, usable or appropriately preserved to fulfil legal obligations

Brief Project Methodology:

The methodology is:

1. Study the existing legacy information system to reverse engineer its data architecture, organisation, and storage methods and appropriate business rules.

2. Design a schematic representation of a new data model to capture the data that requires preservation.

3. Implement the new data model.

4. Extract the data from the legacy system.

5. Clean data according to the best principles of data quality.

6. Load the cleaned data into the new database management system.

4. Test the system with trusted staff and develop methods for operationalising the system.

6. Train all staff to use the system.

7. Optionally, develop a user interface application for accessing the data.

How will this Project Improve Patient Care:

This project will improve patient care by:

Ensuring historical records of patients are available for current care.

Provide a means of performing research on a large number of historical records that can produce lessons to support evidence based care practices.

Long-term statistics can help in better planning for patient care.