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Infra pre-requisite for adopting OMOP CDM?

Implementers
#1

Hi there,
I just started at my institution and am in conversations with the bioinformatics specialist at the cancer center of my university. Our EHR data is in EPIC and we are interested in converting it to OMOP CDM. The bioinformatics specialist told me that her understanding is that prior to the conversion, we have to first hold all of our EHR data in a large PHI-secure cloud space.
Could someone verify that understanding is correct? If so, how do others overcome the upfront cost if the cancer center is unable to cover it?

Thanks!

#2

Hello @Cindy_Hu and welcome to OHDSI!

You can store your source data in the cloud or on-prem. The location is generally dictated by the institution and in compliance with their policies and procedures.

I hope others will answer this question. Here is a white paper OHDSI’s Health Systems Interest Group wrote a couple years ago to help convince CFO’s to support an OMOP CDM conversion and implementation.

#3

Thanks a lot Melanie. I will forward the white paper to the informatics team at my institution.

1 Like
#4

Sorry for messaging you twice in a row, but could you point me to documentationso n how to adopt OMOP CDM while keeping data on-prem?

#5

Hello @Cindy_Hu,

I’m unsure if OHDSI has documentation for exactly this because varies between institutions. Many institutions create another dataset in the same location as their source data. Other times a new database needs to be setup within your environment. It really depends on what your security and compliance department wants.

Do you have EHR data and Cancer registry data? Where are the data currently located? I suggest you talk to the bioinfornatics specialist and see what they are doing with their source data. Also, check with your research department. This varies between institutions and is wholly dependent on what is acceptable for your institution. The first step is to figure out what requirements they have for storage of PHI data.

#6

Many ways to do this @Cindy_Hu! I know of several who use dbt with various databases of choice with an on prem database. (I am running a team doing this in London) Pros and cons to each - worth doing some research first!

DBT Synthea might give some inspiration!

#7

Thanks very much Melanie! I will talk to the bioinformatics specialist about this. It is good to know that there is at least some options for keeping the data on prem.

#8

Thank you for the tips @lawrenceadams. I will look into DBT Synthea.

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