How does a data warehouse work with an EHR?
A data warehouse is used in conjunction with an EHR(s) and serves as the repository, or storage space, for data that is collected from numerous sources. The warehouse is tied to the EHR and organizes the information collected in such a way that the data can be “mined” or accessed easily at multiple user levels. It helps turn data collected by EHRs into information that can be used for tracking clinical progress of individual clients or cohorts of clients, provides decision-making support to clinicians and organizations, and provides outcomes reporting as well as ad-hoc exploration. A warehouse grows in size as more and more data are collected, leading to the ability to not only query in real-time but also observe long-term trends over time. Data collected by EHRs and stored in warehouses enables individuals and organizations to see what is happening during treatment, allowing improvements to be made quickly in the process of delivering care and in the quality of outcomes of health care
