DEEDS - Data Elements for Emergency Department Systems

The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) is coordinating a national effort to develop uniform specifications for data entered in emergency department (ED) patient records. The initial product is Data Elements for Emergency Department Systems, Release 1.0 (DEEDS). The recommendations in DEEDS, Release 1.0 are intended for use by individuals and organizations responsible for maintaining record systems in 24 - hour, hospital-based EDs throughout the United States. If the data definitions, coding conventions, and other recommended specifications are widely adopted, then incompatibilities in ED records can be substantially reduced. Further, because the recommendations incorporate national standards for electronic data interchange, implementation of DEEDS, Release 1.0 in computer-based record systems can facilitate communication and integration with other automated information systems. The collaborative effort that led to DEEDS, Release 1.0 sets a precedent for future review and revision. NCIPC plans to coordinate a multidisciplinary evaluation of DEEDS following its initial release and welcomes your input and suggestions for improving the first set of recommendations.

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