Clinical System State Recreation via Versioned Function Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to accurately recreate the state of a clinical or computing system at a specific past time, particularly due to changes in functions and reference information, which are not effectively tracked or accounted for, leading to difficulties in auditing and analyzing events or decisions made at that time.
Innovation Solution
The system stores data elements with timestamps and associates functions and reference information with their respective versions, allowing for the recreation of the system state at a selected past time by identifying and using the versions of data, functions, and reference information that were available at that time, ensuring an accurate representation of the system's knowledge and conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If functions and reference information are updated over time to improve system capabilities, then system adaptability and knowledge are improved, but the ability to accurately recreate and audit past system states deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing and storing snapshots of functions and reference information at the time each is created or modified. This preliminary recording ensures that historical versions are preserved before any updates occur, enabling accurate recreation of past system states while allowing continuous adaptation through updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates and stores copies of functions and reference information at different points in time. Each function and reference information item is associated with a version identifier that points to a specific snapshot. This copying mechanism allows the system to maintain multiple versions simultaneously, enabling both adaptability through updates and reliability through accurate state recreation.
2Measurement precision
If all versions of data, functions, and reference information are stored to enable accurate state recreation, then state recreation accuracy is improved, but system complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a nested version management structure where versions are organized hierarchically. Each function or reference information item contains nested version information, and the version store is nested within the overall data model. This nesting allows efficient storage and retrieval of historical versions without duplicating entire system states, reducing complexity while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and stores only the essential versioning information (version identifiers, timestamps, and selective data snapshots) rather than maintaining complete copies of all system state elements. This extraction approach reduces storage requirements and system complexity while preserving the ability to accurately recreate past states by retrieving the extracted version information.
3Loss of information
If version tracking is implemented for all system elements, then audit capability is improved, but processing overhead and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The version tracking mechanism is designed as a universal system that handles multiple functions simultaneously: it tracks changes for auditing purposes, enables state recreation, supports time-travel queries, and maintains data integrity. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate tracking systems, thereby reducing overall processing overhead while improving audit capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service version tracking where functions and reference information automatically generate and manage their own version identifiers and snapshots without requiring external intervention. This automated self-service approach reduces processing overhead by eliminating manual version management while maintaining comprehensive audit trails.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system and medium are provided for enabling re-creation of a state of a computing system as it existed at a selected time. A plurality of data elements are tracked including functions and reference information employed in calculating one or more of the data elements. Versions of functions and reference information are also tracked. Thereby, a time at which to recreate the state of the system is selectable and the data elements that were available at or before the selected time are identifiable. And the versions of functions and reference information that were available at the selected time are identifiable. The state of the system at the selected time can thus be reviewed or analyzed as desired.