Graphical OODB modeling for medical information standards (GOMMIS)

The graphical representation of database schemata has been a useful tool for the designer and users of database systems. Such a tool for OODB schemata should incorporate a wide variety of symbols which cover most concepts of existing Object-Oriented Database (OODB), so it is sufficient to support a diverse group of object-oriented data models. In this paper we created a. graphical representation, using the OOdini system and language, of the European Prestandard for Medical Informatics on Message Exchange of Laboratory Information. This European Prestandard describes a standardized format for messages to be exchanged between a. health care provider and a medical laboratory. We have converted this medical information into graphical representation for OODB, and our graphical representation shows the connections between all the classes and the connections between classes and attributes. We have also displayed our graphical representation in three levels of abridgement, one of which allows the user to see only the class hierarchy. The OOdini system which has been chosen to create and manipulate our graphical representation is discussed. This graphical editor gives us the power arid flexibility to manipulate the class information at will