Driving Clinical and Translational Research Using Biomedical Informatics - Translational Informatics: Realizing the Promise of Knowledge-Driven Healthcare - page 107

6.4 An Organizing Framework for Informatics Capable

of Driving Clinical and Translational Research

At the most basic level, one can conceptualize of the role of BMI methods tools in
terms of driving CTR and addressing the problem areas identifi ed in Sect. 6.3 as
falling into four complementary categories, as illustrated in Fig. 6.4 .
The fi rst major category of BMI theories and methods that can support and
enable CTR are focused on the “ Active Research ” phase of such projects, wherein
investigators and their teams need to collect and manage heterogeneous and multi-
dimensional data. Examples of the types of tools and technologies used to support
this category of information need include database management systems; electronic
data capture (EDC) systems; clinical trials/research management systems (CTMS/
CRMS); or Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems. Underlying the design and
optimal use of such tools and technologies are theoretical and methodological
frameworks related to data modeling, semantics, software engineering, and human
computer interaction (HCI).

Fig. 6.4 Overview of Biomedical Informatics framework by which methods and tools support and
enable the information needs spanning the broad CTR spectrum