A database for Chinese outpatients with rheumatic diseases.

Although several databases have been developed in rheumatology aimed at profiling the morbidity pattern of rheumatic diseases, or to capture the detailed clinical and outcome information of patients with a specific rheumatic disease, there is no database in China, as yet, for capturing visit-related health information of all outpatients with rheumatic diseases. In this project, a relational database was developed for the rheumatic outpatient clinic of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH). The primary goal of this database is to collect and organize visit-related information of outpatients with rheumatic diseases to meet information needs of clinical research, health care continuity and teaching of rheumatic diseases. The implementation of this database can improve health services, medical records management and clinical research of outpatients with rheumatic disease at PUMCH.