FAQ - Vitalnet^® Health Data Warehouse

What does EHDP do? We provide professional, cost-effective data warehouses.

We provide Vitalnet, a comprehensive, integrated system for analyzing large complex health data sets, including birth, cancer, hospital discharge, mortality, pregnancy, ICD, and geographic data. A Vitalnet license includes all services needed to ensure project success. Vitalnet platforms support a wide range of user needs.

Vitalnet fulfills the role of many different kinds of software to benefit you and your organization, including: community assessment, data access, data analysis, data dissemination, data linkage, data mining, data query, data warehouse, decision support, educational, ICD database, and virtual data center.

Is Vitalnet interoperable with other existing systems? Yes.

Vitalnet uses open interfaces for input and output data. On the input side, we can import any set of structured ASCII data files with accompanying data dictionary. On the output side, Vitalnet produces: HTML files (for display on web site or importing into word processor), text files (for importing into word processor), GIF and PNG maps and charts (for display on web site or importing into word processor), delimited files (for importing into spreadsheet), and DBASE III files (for importing into GIS, database, charting and many other softwares).

There are thousands of software tools Vitalnet might interoperate with. Since Vitalnet uses standard output formats, it will work smoothly with other standards-compliant software.

What kinds of data can Vitalnet systems include? Any you want.

Vitalnet systems currently include the following commonly analyzed data sets: birth, BRFSS, cancer registry, divorce, hospital discharge, induced abortions, infectious disease, marriage, multiple cause mortality, population, pregnancy outcome, and underlying cause mortality. Each version also includes population data, geographic data, and other data (ICD, CPT, DRG, etc.) as needed.

Vitalnet can handle any complex record-level data set, including: benefits enrollment, birth defects, census, emergency room, food stamps, HIV / AIDS, health manpower, immunizations, infant death, lead screening, linked birth / death, Medicaid, Medicare, newborn screening, outpatient care, poverty, PRAMS, reportable diseases, TANF, trauma registry, unemployment, YRBS, and WIC. Please contact EHDP if you are interested in another data set.

What is the upper age limit for the data? Whatever you specify.

The upper age limit can be set to whatever you want. Age categories over 75 may be used, and are recommended, if population data are available.

How do the data get imported? Quickly and reliably, at no extra cost.

The process works as follows:

• You provide data files and accompanying documentation.
• EHDP carries out the actual data importing.
• EHDP works with you to resolve any data problems that may occur.
• EHPD keeps you fully informed of all data importing procedures.
• EHDP maintains full confidentiality for the data.
• EHDP complies with any required data use agreements.

The data importing process benefits you and your users:

• Allows users to have access to the data much sooner.
• Lowers potential for error, increases data integrity.
• Lowers costs of otherwise very expensive process.
• You retain control of all decisions, timelines and standards.
• Allows us to create media for installing to your computers.

If you need on-site nightly data imports, this could be arranged.

Does EHDP provide birth, death, marriage, or divorce certificates? No.

Contact your state health agency or other governmental body.

Does EHDP sell data? No.

We're in the data warehouse business, not the data marketing business. You own and maintain full control of the data. We load into Vitalnet whatever data you need to analyze. We provide full confidentiality for whatever data you provide.

What does Vitalnet look like? It's clean and efficient.

VitalWeb Standard and VitalWeb Wizard are browser interfaces. They make tables, maps and charts. VitalPro for DOS are VitalPro for Unix are desktop interfaces. Keyboard-driven, they are fast and efficient. They give maximum analytical flexibility. VitalPro for Windows is a native Windows application. It runs on any Windows PC or LAN. It combines the flexibility of VitalPro with the graphical output of VitalWeb.

How would Vitalnet be customized for my needs? It would be fully customized.

• Customized for smallest age groups you use (eg 0-21, 22-24, 25-29, ... 75+).
• Customized for race groups you specify (eg, White, Black, Hispanic, Other).
• Customized for areas and regions in your jurisdiction.
• You decide which variables and field values to use.
• Local details and advice are included in the user documentation.
• Other requested feasible customizations added, at no extra cost.

Does Vitalnet meet CDC/NEDSS requirements? Yes (separate page).

Does Vitalnet meet disability requirements? Yes.

Vitalnet web pages, web interfaces, and output comply with 1) WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines at the AA level, and 2) Section 508 §1194.22, for access to people with disabilities. Section 508 Guidelines are summarized on the EHDP site for your convenience. Cynthia Says, W3C Markup Validator, and WAVE are used to help verify compliance. VitalWeb has been tested with screen reading software, with users with no light perception, and found to work well.

Do Vitalnet systems do cell suppression? Yes.

By default, Vitalnet does numerator-based cell size suppression. If desired, you may specify a minimum suppression level, such as 5 events. The user can modify the cell suppression level, up to the minimum. On your request, we'll configure the program to use alternative methods your agency may use (denominator-based, combination of numerator and denominator). Individual data sets can use different rules. Vitalnet automatically suppresses row and column totals to prevent suppressed cells from being uncovered.

Does Vitalnet make charts? Yes.

Vitalnet makes pie, bar, and line charts. The charts are in gif or png format. Each chart can be easily customized in many different ways.

Does Vitalnet make table series? Yes.

Vitalnet can make a whole series of tables. For example, it can automatically make a separate table for each county. This greatly simplifies and speeds analysis.

Do Vitalnet systems do leading causes of death? Yes.

Epigram uses NCHS rankable cause lists. The top 10 causes from a list are the leading causes of death.

Does Vitalnet calculate an age-adjusted rate for age 20-64? No.

It is possible to program the capability to age-adjust within age groups, but the additional complexity and potential confusion do not seem worth the occasional benefit. If needed, Vitalnet can quickly produce the age-specific rates and population numbers needed to set up a spreadsheet to do the calculations. Of course, Epigram can produce the age-specific rate for age 20-64.

How do I print Vitalnet output? There are several ways.

1) Directly print from your browser: VitalWeb Standard, VitalWeb Wizard, and VitalPro for Windows. 2) Directly print from the application: VitalPro for DOS and VitalPro for Unix. 3) Print from another software (word processor, spreadsheet, GIS, database, etc.) after importing from Vitalnet text, delimited, or database output.

How many ICD codes do Vitalnet desktop systems include? All.

VitalPro for DOS, VitalPro for Unix, and VitalPro for Windows include the entire ICD system. Vitalnet will work with data coded to ICD-9 or ICD-10. There are three access methods:

• Directly select an ICD range, from a scrolling list.
• Select from branching menu system with all ICD codes and titles.
• Select from menu with the most common categories and groupings.

How many ICD codes do Vitalnet browser systems include? Most common ones.

VitalWeb allows selection from a menu with the most common categories and groupings.

Can Vitalnet analyze national data? Yes.

Vitalnet can import and analyze data from any geographical jurisdiction. We have successfully imported and analyzed US national mortality data.

Can Vitalnet work with other languages? Yes.

Vitalnet has been "internationalized", and can be "localized" to any language and country. Spanish and Chinese language versions have been successfully built.

Can Vitalnet analyze zip code data? Yes.

Vitalnet can import and analyze data from any geographical jurisdiction, including sub-county data. We have successfully imported and analyzed Texas zip code data. Vitalnet will also work with census tract data, logically equivalent to zip code level data.

Can the user rotate (pivot) table axes? Yes.

After making a table, simply return to the interface and switch the variables for rows and columns.

What race groups are used? It is up to the licensee.

Any race categories may be used. The smallest race categories depend on the standard way that data are analyzed in your jurisdiction. During analysis, race categories may be combined as needed.

Does Vitalnet project trends into the future? Yes.

Vitalnet trend analyses automatically include a "least-squares" analysis. The analysis produces a Y-intercept and slope, which may be used to draw the best line through the data and project into the future. Confidence intervals for the slope may be included, to decide if there is a significant trend.

Do Vitalnet systems make maps? Yes.

The Web Version (VitalWeb system) makes professionally formatted thematic maps that allow the user to quickly identify areas with high rates. The maps are in png or gif format. In addition, Vitalnet can export your results to a database file (dBASE III format), which will easily read into any GIS software. This allows you to overlay the data with other data (for example, environmental exposure data.

Can I download results data? Yes.

The following output formats are available for downloading results:

• CSV / TSV / DIF - For importing into spreadsheet software.
• dBASE III - For graphing, mapping, or data analysis software.
• ASCII Text - For importing into any word processor.
• HTML - For display in any browser.

Note: None of the data within Vitalnet can be directly accessed or downloaded by users.

What are the hardware and software requirements? Minimal.

VitalPro runs under Windows, DOS, and Linux. Any version of Microsoft Windows from Windows 98 to Windows 7 is supported. The VitalWeb front-end runs under Windows, Linux, and Apple. More than 99% of current browsers are supported.

Disk and memory requirements are low. For example, 2000 Texas death data (149,763 deaths) uses about 600 kilobytes of disk space. A VitalPro runtime uses 1 to 2 megabytes of RAM.

Vitalnet does not require other commercial software (SAS, Oracle, SQL Server, etc.) to run. Vitalnet takes about a second to produce most output, even on relatively low-end computers.

Can I monitor program usage? Yes.

We realize the importance of usage monitoring for:

• Producing budget reports
• Assessing program usage
• Determining common analyses

VitalPro and VitalWeb provides you the following information:

• Counts of tables, maps, and charts
• Links to actual output produced
• Log files with a record for each output made

How is Vitalnet licensed? Simple flat-rate license (described on separate page).

Why should I license Vitalnet software? Many reasons.

• Save large amounts of money in development costs.
• Save large amounts of money in maintenance costs.
• Get best available data warehouse solution.
• Get needed software infrastructure for virtual data center.
• Increase user productivity, saving time and money.
• Receive professional online help and user guides.
• Make best use of data for analysis and decision-making.
• Produce useful results and answers in seconds.
• Provide both local and remote access to needed data.
• Get guaranteed data integrity and testing services.
• Meet the needs of both occasional and expert users.
• Get ready-to-use, clearly documented output.
• Greatly simplify procurement and admininistration.
• Minimize user training needs and costs.
• Get full support needed for project success.
• Get full customization for your requirements.

What's the catch? There is no catch.