5.1 Encrypted Data
Data in the observation_blob field of the OBSERVATION_FACT table can be encrypted
{+}https://community.i2b2.org/wiki/display/WB/Workbench+Software+
Also, site-specific identifiers are often encrypted in the PATIENT_MAPPING table. The legacy Identity Management (IM) cell also provides an AES implementation to encrypt and decrypt these identifiers through an i2b2 API. More information can be found here:
- IM Install: {+}https://community.i2b2.org/wiki/display/getstarted/Chapter+13.+Identity+Management+%28IM%29+Cell+Install+
- IM Messaging: {+}https://www.i2b2.org/software/files/PDF/current/IM_Messaging.pdf+
- IM Architecture: {+}https://www.i2b2.org/software/files/PDF/current/IM_Architecture.pdf+
- IM Design: {+}https://www.i2b2.org/software/files/PDF/current/IM_Design.pdf+
5.2 Multiple Fact Tables
Starting with release 1.7.09, the i2b2 software supports multiple fact tables. This enables, for example, diagnoses to be stored in one fact table, laboratory tests in a second fact table, and clinical notes in a third. This might be helpful to simplify data updates or for performance reasons in large databases. Details of how to configure i2b2 to use multiple fact tables is at
{+}https://community.i2b2.org/wiki/display/MFT/Multi-fact+Table+Home?preview=%2F339480%2F339493%2Fmultifact-setup-guide.pdf+
5.3 Working with OMOP Data
The Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) CDM is another widely adopted data model. Rather than a central fact table, the OMOP CDM uses separate tables for each data domain: procedures, condition, drug, measurement, observation, etc. The multiple fact table feature in i2b2 can be used to treat each OMOP table as a separate fact table, enabling i2b2 to run the OMOP CDM with the appropriate i2b2 ontology configuration. A description of this is at
{+}https://community.i2b2.org/wiki/display/OMOP/OMOP+Home+
5.4 Loading Data into the i2b2 CDM
The i2b2 tranSMART Foundation ETL Working Group has assembled a set of resources, including documentation and software, to assist in loading data into i2b2, which is at
{+}https://community.i2b2.org/wiki/display/IWG/ETL+Working+Group+