Planning Your Brim Data Request
Overview
Before you can start abstracting data in Brim, your data warehouse team needs to pull the right patient records and clinical notes from your EHR.
This guide walks you through six key decisions you will need to make. Work through each section to clarify your thinking, then use the Data Request Template at the end of this document to communicate your needs to the data warehouse team.
The frequency of your data upload can be one time, multiple times throughout your project, or scheduled.
Note: The data needs to be pulled in a specific format for Brim to ingest it. To learn more about that format, please review the documentation here.
The Six Elements of a Data Request
Each element below represents a key decision you need to make before the data warehouse team can fulfill your request. The sections that follow explain each element in detail.
| Element | What It Defines | Key Question to Ask Yourself | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | Which patients are in your study cohort? | Do I have a list of MRNs, or does the Data Warehouse team need to identify patients from clinical criteria? | 450 MRNs from your registry; all patients with a qualifying CPT code in a date range |
|
Index Event (Optional) |
Is there an index event? This may not apply to all projects, it depends on your research. If so, what is the anchor event that defines ‘time zero’ for each patient? | Is this event captured in structured data (a code, a date, a lab result)? | Date of surgery (CPT code); first diagnosis date (ICD-10); admission date |
| Time Window | What period of data do you need, relative to the index event and overall? | How far before and after the event? What are the overall study start and end dates? | 12 months pre–index through 6 months post–index; overall 01/01/2018–12/31/2023 |
| Note Types | Which clinical note types should Brim abstract? | What standard note categories in your EHR are most relevant to your research question? | Discharge Summary; H&P; Operative Note; Consult Note; Progress Note |
| Structured Data | What discrete EHR data elements do you need alongside the notes? | What demographic, diagnostic, procedural, or lab data provides context for your abstraction? | Demographics; ICD-10 diagnoses; CPT codes with dates; selected lab values; encounter dates |
| Exclusions | Who or what should be removed from the dataset? | Are there patient subgroups, note types, or time periods that should be filtered out? | Patients under 18; deceased before index event; fewer than 2 encounters; duplicate notes |
1. Population
Provide either a pre-specified list of MRNs or the criteria the data warehouse team should use to identify your cohort (diagnoses, procedures, encounter types, date range).
2. Index Event (If Applicable)
The index event establishes time zero for each patient and must be a structured data field with a reliable, queryable date: a CPT-coded procedure, ICD-10 diagnosis date, encounter date, lab order, or medication start. Not all projects will have or require an index event.
3. Time Window
- Overall study period: The calendar date range bounding your entire dataset.
- Pre-event window: How far before the index event to include data (e.g., 12 months prior).
- Post-event window: How far after the index event to include data (e.g., 6 months following).
4. Note Types
Specify note types using their official names in your EHR. Request only what is directly relevant to your research question. Common examples: Discharge Summary, H&P, Operative Note, Consult Note, Progress Note, ED Note, Pathology Report, Radiology Report. Notes can be stored in different areas of the data warehouse. Your EMR may also have pdf's relevant to your research. If you need these uploaded into Brim, these can be converted to markdown and uploaded into Brim.
Tip: If you are unsure what note types are available for your population, ask your data warehouse team for a list before submitting.
5. Structured Data Elements
Request only the discrete EHR fields needed for cohort definition, clinical context, or downstream validation. Common elements: demographics, ICD-10 diagnoses with dates, CPT codes with dates, encounter dates and types, etc. Note: Structured data elements should be in a seperate file in this format.
6. Exclusions
Define patient-level and note-level exclusions upfront. Common patient exclusions: age thresholds, death before index event, insufficient encounter history, research opt-outs. Common note exclusions: duplicates, auto-generated templates, notes outside the relevant care setting.
Data Request Template
Complete this form and share with your data warehouse team to initiate your data request.
Refer to the planning guide above if you need help answering any section. For a downloadable version click here.
Project Information
| Project / Study Name |
|
| Requestor Name & Department |
|
| Date Submitted |
|
| Date Data Needed By |
|
| Project Contact | Name of your Brim admin or point of contact |
1. Population
| Cohort definition approach |
□ I will provide a list of MRNs (attach or list below) □ Please identify the cohort based on the criteria I describe below |
| MRN list or cohort criteria | Attach MRN list or describe inclusion criteria (diagnoses, procedures, encounter types, etc.) |
| Estimated cohort size | Approximate number of patients, if known |
2. Index Event (If Applicable)
| Index event (plain language) | e.g., date of first knee replacement surgery |
| How is this event coded in the EHR? | e.g., CPT code; ICD-10 diagnosis code; admission date; lab result |
| Specific codes or identifiers | e.g., CPT 27447, 27446; ICD-10 M17.11 |
| Which occurrence should be used? |
□ First qualifying event per patient □ Most recent qualifying event per patient □ All qualifying events per patient |
3. Time Window
| Overall study period | Start date - End date (e.g., 01/01/2018 - 12/31/2023) |
| Pre-event window | How far before the index event? (e.g., 12 months prior; none) |
| Post-event window | How far after the index event? (e.g., 6 months following; through end of study period) |
4. Note Types
| Note types needed (check all that apply) |
□ Discharge Summary □ History & Physical (H&P) □ Operative Note / Procedure Note □ Consult Note □ Progress Note (Inpatient) □ Office Visit / Outpatient Note □ Emergency Department Note □ Pathology Report □ Radiology Report □ Other: _______________________ □ Other: _______________________ □ Other: _______________________ □ Other: ___________________________ |
| Special instructions | e.g., inpatient notes only; specific specialties; restrict to a sub-window of dates |
5. Structured Data Elements
| Structured data needed (check all that apply) |
□ Demographics (age at index, sex, race/ethnicity) □ ICD-10 diagnosis codes with dates □ CPT codes (procedures) with dates □ Encounter dates and types □ Other: ___________________________ |
| Additional structured data notes | Any other elements or special instructions |
6. Exclusions
| Patient exclusions | e.g., patients under 18; deceased before index event; fewer than 2 encounters; opted out of research |
| Note exclusions | e.g., duplicate notes; auto-generated template notes; notes outside inpatient setting |
| Other exclusions | Any additional filters or criteria |
Additional Context
| Open questions for the Data Warehouse team | Anything you need clarified before the pull can begin |