Sentinel Common Data Model

The Sentinel Operations Center (SOC) coordinates the network of Sentinel Data Partners and leads development of the Sentinel Common Data Model (SCDM), a standard data structure that allows Data Partners to quickly execute distributed programs against local data. The SOC manages creation of the Sentinel Distributed Database (SDD) using the SCDM, and maintains complete documentation of the implementation and characteristics of the SDD.

The SCDM was developed in accordance with the Mini-Sentinel Common Data Model Guiding Principles and was modeled after the Health Care Systems Research Network (formerly known as HMO Research Network) Virtual Data Warehouse.

Both major and minor revisions and enhancements to the SCDM are made on a regular basis, including the addition of clinical information, incorporation of other data types and sources, and revisions based on lessons learned from use of the SDD. This may include adopting variables and formats developed by other programs.

Due to current public health needs, SOC is maintaining two models concurrently: SCDM v8.0.0 and SCDM v8.1.0. Both versions of the model represent information for data elements needed for Sentinel activities.

The SCDM v8.0.0 includes 16 tables.

Several identifiers are used to link records across tables: a unique person identifier (PatID), a unique provider identifier (ProviderID), and a unique encounter identifier (EncounterID).

SCDM v8.0.0 represents a major enhancement of the SCDM, with several updates from the SCDM v7 series. These include: (1) creation of new tables, including Prescribing, Facility, and Provider; (2) Setting certain variables to numeric data type with as short a variable length as needed to capture all values; and (3) Ensuring all identification variable names end with "ID". Additional modifications to other tables are detailed on the v8.0.0 Enhancements page within SCDM v8.0.0. documentation. Full details of the 16 tables and answers to frequently asked questions are provided on this page as well.

The SCDM v8.1.0 includes 18 tables.

SCDM v8.1.0 represents a minor enhancement of the SCDM. New updates include:

1. In the Demographic table, for the Race variable, the addition of a code for “multi-racial.”
2. Creation of two new tables to capture Patient-Reported Data;
   • Facility and Provider Tables data,
   • Facility and Provider Identifiers within utilization tables
3. The Laboratory Results Table now enables the populating Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) not mapped to a specific test name; and 
4. Code type for CDC Vaccine Administered (CVX) codes have been added to the Procedure table, which enables capture of additional vaccine administration data streams.

Additional modifications to other tables are detailed on the v8.1.0 Enhancements page within SCDM v8.1.0. documentation. Full details of the 18 tables and answers to frequently asked questions are provided on this page as well.

If you are using a web page screen reader and are unable to access the document, please contact the Sentinel Operations Center for assistance by clicking on the Submit Comments link above or sending an email requesting assistance to info@sentinelsystem.org.

For prior versions of the SCDM, contact the Sentinel Operations Center at info@sentinelsystem.org.