A GENERALIZED LANGUAGE FOR PLATFORM-INDEPENDENT STRUCTURED REPORTING

Structured reporting systems allow health-care workers to record obser vations using predetermined data elements and formats. The author deve loped the Data-entry and Reporting Markup Language (DRML) to provide a generalized representational language for describing concepts to be i ncluded in structured reporting applications. DRML is based on the Sta ndard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), an internationally accepted standard for document interchange. The use of DRML is demonstrated wit h the SPIDER system, which uses public-domain Internet technology for structured data entry and reporting. SPIDER uses DRML documents to cre ate structured data-entry forms, outline-format textual reports, and d atasets for analysis of aggregate results, Applications of DRML includ e its use in radiology results reporting and a health status questionn aire. DRML allows system designers to create a wide variety of clinica l reporting applications and survey instruments, and helps overcome so me of the limitations seen in earlier structured reporting systems.