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 by the SOC 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 v8.1.0 and SCDM v8.2.0. Both versions of the model represent information for data elements needed for Sentinel activities.

The SCDM v8.1.0 includes 18 tables.

SCDM v8.1.0 represents a minor enhancement of the SCDM. 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;
3. The Laboratory Results Table now enables the population of 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 are provided on this page as well.

The SCDM v8.2.0 includes 19 tables. 

The SCDM v8.2.0 represents a minor enhancement of the SCDM. Updates include: 

1. All tables have been updated to allow for missing values;
2. In the Enrollment table, the addition of two new variables, PlanType and PayerType to increase characterization of enrollment data;
3. In the Demographic table, the addition of two new variables, ImputedRace and ImputedHispanic, improving Race & Ethnicity Data by allowing imputation of Race and Hispanic status;
4. In the Death and Cause of Death tables, for the Source variable, the addition of a code for “social media” and “obituary” and for the CodeType variable, the addition of a code for “National Vital Statistics Registry” death code to allow for improving records using NLP extraction methods;
5. Creation of a Feature Engineering table to allow for capture of Electronic Health Record (EHR) unstructured data sources.

Additional modifications to other tables are detailed on the v8.2.0 Enhancements page within SCDM v8.2.0. documentation. Full details of the 19 tables 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 here 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.