5. Graphing
The first two stages represent the ultimate in ease of use. To run a report from Velos only requires two clicks of the mouse. The standard report is created and is ready to print or to be copied into a PowerPoint presentation. Filtering using the dropdown auto-filters is an easy and dynamic way to restrict the data included in reports.
The last three stages represent power and flexibility in reporting. If a client needs a different analysis than is in the standard report, Excel pivot tables allow for the structure of the report to be changed. Pivot tables also come with a built-in graphing option that can make displaying your analysis very easy. Likewise, both mathematical formulas and statistical calculations can be used to achieve more statistical results and measures. Ad hoc queries give users access to all of the data entered into the cath, surgery, EP or any additional modules created in the system. Graphing allows users to represent their data in statistical patterns or trend lines; these colorful graphs can then be easily placed into Marketing collaterals or PowerPoint presentations.
Velos users range in computer experience and in the reporting complexity they demand. Our reporting system accommodates this range. Competitive systems often lock users into a proprietary reporting engine where standard reports are not easily customized.
2. A dedicated reporting database . . .
A reporting system that accesses data directly from the data entry (transactional) database is limited by the way the data is stored. Velos avoids these limitations by moving data into a dedicated reporting database.
There are several specific advantages to this structure:
- Simultaneous data entry and reporting activity will not drastically slow down either type of user.
- The data entry database can be optimized for data entry performance and the reporting database can be optimized for reporting performance.
- Future systems can provide integrated reporting databases across specialties and multiple sites (i.e. Cardiology plus Transplant or separate facilities and 1 Aggregate). This is known as Data Warehousing.
- Data can be reformatted in the reporting database to make it much more useful for reporting purposes.
The fourth advantage is the most significant. Data is often entered into systems in ways that make reporting on that data very difficult. Here are some examples of how Velos reformats data in the reporting database:
1. Excessive Yes/No/Unknown field responses. Most of the data in the cath and surgery modules is entered in the Yes/No/Unknown format. Reporting is quite difficult on this type of data. Imagine trying to count how many of each type of cath out-of-lab complications happened this quarter. For each of the complications (there are 22 complications which means 22 columns), the “Yes” responses must be converted to a numeric value of “1”. The “1’s” must then be totaled. Even then, all 22 columns must somehow be displayed in one report.
How does Velos handle this? The “Yes” responses are converted to one column of text labels in the reporting database. These text labels are easily counted in Excel pivot tables. The work that would normally need to be done by the user inside the reporting tool is done by Velos in the transfer of data into the reporting database.
2. Length-of-stay values are pre-calculated. Instead of forcing users to do date/time subtraction in the reporting tool to establish LOS values, Velos calculates LOS and makes the values readily available for querying in the reporting database.
3. Time period breakouts are pre-created. Longitudinal reporting is always in demand. (Have our processes improved over time?; Is average LOS improving?; etc.). It is usually difficult to take the Date of Procedure field from a clinical database and assign it to the proper month, quarter or year for longitudinal reporting.
In Velos, we do this ahead of time in the reporting database. Reporting by month, quarter or year is as easy as dragging the month, quarter or year field into a pivot table. Try that when reporting directly from a transactional (data entry) database.
Many competitive systems often report directly out of the data entry database.
3. Integrated Microsoft Excel as a reporting tool . . .
Microsoft Excel is our recommended reporting tool. There are numerous advantages to building our reports in Microsoft Excel:
Client familiarity
Full feature set
Inexpensive price
Available Third Party “add-ins”
Extensive and easy to obtain training and documentation
Integration with the rest of Microsoft Office.
With Microsoft Excel, we can keep our reporting system functionality on the leading edge of technology with new user-friendly tools.
Finally, our dedicated reporting database creates a truly open system. Our data is readily available for reporting from any ODBC-compliant tool. SAS, SPSS, Brio, Cognos, Crystal Reports, MS Access, and QI macros are examples of reporting tools of different types that clients may already have in their institutions. Competitive systems will be ODBC-compliant, but will not reformat their data in a way that useful reporting can be achieved from other reporting tools.
