Beyond Facts and Dimensions

Question 1

What are the most common type of tables in Caboodle?

Answer 1

Facts and dimensions.

Aug. 2021, 6.3

Question 2

Why do bridge tables exist?

Answer 2

To capture many to many relationships.

Aug. 2021, 6.4

Question 3

Name the columns in a dbo bridge table.

Answer 3

1. (Name)ComboKey
2. (Name)Key
   (Name) = the name of the table to which a bridge has been formed.

(Aug. 2021, 6.4)

Question 4

In a bridge table, which column can be used as a lookup column to link to the corresponding dimension table?

Answer 4

The (Name)Key column.

Aug. 2021, 6.4

Question 5

In a bridge table, which column is the surrogate key.

Answer 5

The (Name)ComboKey

Aug. 2021, 6.4

Question 6

A lookup column to a bridge table ends in ________.

Answer 6

ComboKey

Aug. 2021, 6.4

Question 7

What is the difference between a bridge table in dbo verses a bridge table in FullAccess?

Answer 7

While both tables join to the same dimension table, the FullAccess view displays additional information.

(Aug. 2021, 6.4-6.5)

Question 8

What data structure is appropriate to use when attributes change often?

Answer 8

The EAV structure.

Aug. 2021, 6.6

Question 9

What are the three major components of the EAV structure?

Answer 9

1. Entity
2. Attribute
3. Value

(Aug. 2021, 6.6)

Question 10

What DMC type uses the EAV model and is easily recognizable?

Answer 10

The AttributeValueDim DMC type.
Ex: PatientAttributeValueDim, DepartmentAttributeValueDim

(Aug. 2021, 6.6)

Question 11

What tables contain attribute-value pairs and can be created for different entities?

Answer 11

AttributeValueDim
For instance, there is the PatientAttributeValueDim table to go along with PatientDim, or the DepartmentAttributeValueDim table to go along with DepartmentDim.

(Aug. 2021, 6.6)

Question 12

What table stores the list of all attributes used by the AttributeValueDim system?

Answer 12

AttributeDim

It has one row per attribute and contains the name of the attribute (as well as some additional metadata).

(Aug. 2021, 6.6)

Question 13

How is the EAV structure of AttributeValueDim different from other DMC types?

Answer 13

AttributeValueDim joins to AttributeDim. Other DMC types store their attributes in separate dimensions.

For example, LabComponentResultFact uses the LabComponentDim DMC as its attribute lookup.

(Aug. 2021, 6.8)

Question 14

How are data marts similar to fact tables?

Answer 14

They both store data about significant measurable events.

Aug. 2021, 6.9

Question 15

Why data marts?

Answer 15

A data mart can bring together data points from several DMC’s into one place. Data marts typically serve as comprehensive data sources for a particular reporting need, making it easier for business intelligence developers to write particular reports.

(Aug. 2021, 6.9)

Question 16

Why does Epic use the naming convention SetDim?

Answer 16

To identify tables that store lists, or sets, of records.

These sets are typically records in another dimension table. For example, each diagnosis has a row in DiagnosisDim. These diagnoses are grouped into lists, which are stored in DiagnosisSetDim.

(Aug. 2021, 6.9)

Question 17

What are groupers?

Answer 17

Lists of Chronicles records, ICD codes, or other concepts used together frequently in Hyperspace.

(Aug. 2021, 6.9)

Question 18

What master file stores groupers?

Answer 18

The VCG master file.

Aug. 2021, 6.9

Question 19

What is the most common use of the SetDim tables for Epic data?

Answer 19

VCG groupers.

Aug. 2021, 6.10