Design of and rationale for the Japan Diabetes compREhensive database project based on an Advanced electronic Medical record System (J-DREAMS)

The “Japan Diabetes compREhensive database project based on an Advanced electronic Medical record System” is a registry of patients with diabetes in Japan. The characteristics of this registry include a clinical information input process using the template function of an electronic medical record (EMR) system [the standard diabetes management template (SDMT)], a standardized exchangeable information storage format [the Standardized Structured Medical Information eXchange 2 (SS-MIX2)], and a secure and efficient information extraction process [Multipurpose Clinical Data Repository System (MCDRS)]. Together, these characteristics enable efficient data input during routine patient consultations, efficient and exact data extraction from each facility, and the integration of data across different facilities even though these data were generated by EMR systems from different vendors. The SDMT collects clinical information including the type of diabetes, body height and weight, blood pressure, lifestyle, and comorbidities. Completing this template triggers the automatic collection of other information such as fundamental information (sex, year and month of birth, and facility), prescription information, and laboratory examination results. As the information from every routine consultation is saved with an anonymized patient ID, linked data can be used as panel data allowing longitudinal investigations. The data obtained from the registry will allow analyses, for exmaple, mortality and morbidity risk, by various characteristics or drug types and may reveal unmet needs that inform future diabetes care.