DATA ELEMENTS FOR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT SYSTEMS, RELEASE-1.0 (DEEDS) -A SUMMARY REPORT

Variations in the way that data are entered in ED record systems imped e the use of ED records for direct patient care and deter their reuse for many other legitimate purposes, To foster more uniform ED data, th e Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Inj ury Prevention and Control is coordinating a public-private partnershi p that has developed recommended specifications for many observations, actions, instructions, conclusions, and identifiers that are entered in ED records. The partnership's initial product, Data Elements far Em ergency Department Systems, Release 1.0 (DEEDS), is intended for use b y individuals and organizations responsible for ED record systems. If the recommended specifications are widely adopted, then problems-such as data incompatibility and high costs of collecting, linking, and usi ng data-can be substantially reduced. The collaborative effort that le d to DEEDS, Release 1.0, sets a precedent for future review and revisi on of the initial recommendations.