Tips and Techniques for Improving the Performance of Validation Procedures in Oracle Clinical
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The document discusses techniques and best practices for enhancing the performance of validation procedures in Oracle Clinical, focusing on PL/SQL concepts including cursor management and package structure. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the inner workings of Oracle Clinical procedures, the use of correlations, qualifying expressions, and visit limitations to optimize data handling and retrieval processes. Additionally, it provides insights into the Perficient organization, which offers technology consulting solutions in the life sciences sector.
![Correlation on Event
Definition => Validation Procs => Procedures, Press [Q-Groups]
Alias to correlate to
Inner loops use the same
event (including subevent)
as retrieved for the outer
(correlated) loop](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/8-140807141241-phpapp01/85/Tips-and-Techniques-for-Improving-the-Performance-of-Validation-Procedures-in-Oracle-Clinical-32-320.jpg)
![Correlating Questions
• Use responses to DCM questions to correlate between
outer and inner fetch loops
– May want to fetch AE records where AE description
matches the indication given for ConMed
Definition => Validation Procs => Procedures, Press [Q-Groups]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/8-140807141241-phpapp01/85/Tips-and-Techniques-for-Improving-the-Performance-of-Validation-Procedures-in-Oracle-Clinical-35-320.jpg)
![Definition => Validation Procs => Procedures, Press [Q-Groups],
[Correlating Questions]
Inner loop will fetch records only if the values of the
responses to the two pairs of questions are the same!
Outer LoopOuter LoopInner Loop
Correlating Questions](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/8-140807141241-phpapp01/85/Tips-and-Techniques-for-Improving-the-Performance-of-Validation-Procedures-in-Oracle-Clinical-36-320.jpg)
![Definition => Validation Procs => Procedures, Press [Q-Groups]
Only DCMs recorded for visits starting at “Visit 1”
and going through “Visit 3” will be retrieved
Controlling Range of Visits](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/8-140807141241-phpapp01/85/Tips-and-Techniques-for-Improving-the-Performance-of-Validation-Procedures-in-Oracle-Clinical-51-320.jpg)
Tips and Techniques for Improving the Performance of Validation Procedures in Oracle Clinical
- 1. Tips and Techniques for Improving the Performance of Validation Procedures in Oracle Clinical Steve Rifkin, Lead Technical Analyst, Clinical Data Management & EDC Life Sciences Business Unit facebook.com/perficient twitter.com/perficient_LSlinkedin.com/company/perficient
- 2. Welcome & Introduction Steve Rifkin Lead Technical Analyst Clinical Data Management & EDC Life Sciences, Perficient • Extensive Oracle Clinical/RDC experience – 18+ years of experience with Oracle Clinical/RDC – Member of the team that implements, supports, enhances and integrates Oracle Clinical/RDC solutions – 50+ implementations and integrations
- 3. Perficient is a leading information technology consulting firm serving clients throughout North America and Europe. We help clients implement business-driven technology solutions that integrate business processes, improve worker productivity, increase customer loyalty and create a more agile enterprise to better respond to new business opportunities. About Perficient
- 4. • Founded in 1997 • Public, NASDAQ: PRFT • 2013 revenue ~$373 million • Major market locations throughout North America • Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Fairfax, Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York City, Northern California, Philadelphia, Southern California, St. Louis, Toronto and Washington, D.C. • Global delivery centers in China, Europe and India • >2,100 colleagues • Dedicated solution practices • ~85% repeat business rate • Alliance partnerships with major technology vendors • Multiple vendor/industry technology and growth awards Perficient Profile
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- 7. Agenda • What is an Oracle Clinical Procedure • Review of PL/SQL Concepts – Cursors and Package Structure • Oracle Clinical Cursors • Structure of Oracle Clinical MAIN Procedure • Retrieval Techniques – Correlations – Qualifying Expressions – WHERE clause extension – Visit Limitations • Performance Considerations
- 8. What is an Oracle Clinical Procedure? Definition => Validation Procs => Procedures
- 9. Definition => Validation Procs => Procedures It’s a program! What is an Oracle Clinical Procedure?
- 10. • Procedure templates are completed • Procedure is “generated” and What is an Oracle Clinical Procedure? A PL/SQL Program is created! To get the most out of OC procedures, you need to understand the structure of the program you create.
- 11. Review of PL/SQL Concepts • Detailed knowledge of PL/SQL syntax is not required for understanding the overall program structure. – However, knowledge of PL/SQL cursors and of the PL/SQL Package structure is required.
- 12. PL/SQL Cursors In SQL*Plus, a “select statement” retrieves an entire set of records: SQL> select patient, patient_position_id from patient_positions; PATIENT PATIENT_POSITION_ID ---------- ------------------- 100 5001 101 5101 102 5201 103 5301 104 5401 105 5501 106 5601 107 5701 108 5801 109 5901 Cursors also retrieve of a set of records; but unlike SQL*Plus, cursors allow access to one record at a time for procedural operations on data within the record.
- 13. • Cursors are objects in a PL/SQL program • To use, cursors must be 1. Declared (to define the set of results) 2. Opened (to initialize) 3. Fetched (to retrieve one row for operations) 4. Closed (to release) PL/SQL Cursors
- 14. • Cursor declaration defines the set of records to be retrieved from the database: • Like a “file” a cursor must be opened before it can be used: CURSOR cHeight IS SELECT height, height_unit FROM height_table WHERE patient=‘100’ ORDER BY visit_number; OPEN cHeight; PL/SQL Cursors
- 15. PL/SQL Cursors • A “fetch” on the cursor retrieves a single row from the set of selected records and places the result into program variables: FETCH cHeight INTO height_var, height_unit_var; CLOSE cHeight; • Cursors are closed to release memory and perform internal cleanup:
- 16. PL/SQL Cursors • Cursors are often fetched in a “loop” which processes the record: LOOP FETCH cHeight INTO height_var, height_unit_var ; IF cHeight%NOTFOUND THEN EXIT LOOP; ELSE <process current height_var, height_unit_var> END IF; END LOOP;
- 17. PAT_LOOP FETCH cPatient_data into patient_var; IF cPatient_data%FOUND THEN ELSE EXIT PAT_LOOP; END IF; END PAT_LOOP; HEIGHT_LOOP FETCH cHeight INTO height_var, height_unit_var ; IF cHeight%FOUND THEN <process patient_var, height_var, height_unit_var> ELSE EXIT HEIGHT_LOOP; END IF; END HEIGHT_LOOP Nesting PL/SQL Cursors
- 18. Cursors used by Oracle Clinical • Patient Information Cursor – Retrieves a record with all the information recorded for a single patient • DCM Cursor(s) – A DCM cursor for each “alias” listed on the procedure question group form – Retrieves the DCM responses (for the questions on the procedure question screen) and DCM header information
- 19. Fields Retrieved by the Patient Cursor • V_CLINICAL_STUDY_VERSION_ID • V_DATA_MODIFIED_FLAG • V_PROCEDURE_ID • V_PROCEDURE_VERSION_SN • V_PROCEDURE_TYPE_CODE • V_USERNAME • V_DEBUG • V_LAST_BATCH_TS • V_CURRENT_LOCATION • V_MODE • V_LAB_DEPENDENT_FLAG • REPORTED_SEX • REPORTED_BIRTH_DATE • PATIENT_POSITION_ID • CLINICAL_STUDY_ID • REPORTED_DEATH_DATE • PATIENT • INVESTIGATOR_ID • SITE_ID • EARLY_TERMINATION_FLAG • PATIENT_ENROLLMENT_DATE • CLINICAL_SUBJECT_ID • INCLUSION_EXCLUSION_DATE • REPORTED_PATIENT_REFERENCE • REPORTED_INITIALS • REPORTED_DATE_LAST_PREGNACY • FIRST_SCREENING_DATE • TERMINATION_DATE
- 20. Fields Retrieved by a DCM Cursor • ACTUAL_EVENT_ID • CLIN_PLAN_EVE_ID • CLIN_PLAN_EVE_NAME • DCM_DATE • DCM_ID • DCM_SUBSET_SN • DCM_TIME • INVESTIGATOR_ID • LAB • LAB_ID • LAB_RANGE_SUBSET_NUM • QUALIFYING_VALUE • RECEIVED_DCM_ENTRY_TS • RECEIVED_DCM_ID • REPEAT_SN • SITE_ID • SUBEVENT_NUMBER • VISIT_NUMBER
- 21. Using Patient Cursor Fields • To use a value for a “V_” field, prefix the field name with “rxcpdstd.” – e.g., rxcpdstd.v_data_modified_flag • To use all other variables, prefix the name with “rxcpdstd.patients_rec.” – e.g., rxcpdstd.patients_rec.reported_birth_date Fields retrieved in the patient information cursor can be used to perform tests or calculations in your procedures or can be used as arguments to custom functions you may write.
- 22. Structure of PL/SQL Packages • Generation of an Oracle Clinical procedure results in a PL/SQL package • PL/SQL packages contain one or more functions and/or procedures and have two sections – Specification • Lists all procedures and functions in the package • Declares all cursors and variables to be available to all the functions and procedures (i.e. the “common” area) – Body • Contains all the procedural code for the procedures and functions listed in the specification
- 23. Package Specification in Oracle Clinical CREATE PACKAGE rxcpd_xxx_xx as CURSOR 1 is . . . . CURSOR 2 is . . . . CURSOR n is . . . . PROCEDURE main (… … …); PROCEDURE insert_discrepancy(… … …); PROCEDURE exception_handling (… … …); END rxcpd_xxx_xx; . . . Package is named with internal id and version numbers Definition and number of cursors declared depends on the number of “aliases” on the procedure question group form Three PL/SQL procedures are part of each Oracle Clinical package
- 24. Body for a Package in Oracle Clinical INSERT_DISCREPANCY and EXCEPTION_HANDLING procedures call Oracle Clinical built-in packages and cannot be readily changed CREATE PACKAGE BODY rxcpd_xxx_xx as PROCEDURE main (… … …); <Program Code > END main; PROCEDURE insert_discrepancy(… … …); < Program Code> END insert_discrepancy; PROCEDURE exception_handling (… … …); <Program Code> END exception_handling; END rxcpd_xxx_xx; Program code in the MAIN procedure depends on options chosen on the procedure definition forms
- 25. • MAIN procedure is a series of nested loops • For a simple procedure, outermost loop fetches the patient information – Next loop fetches DCM information as defined by the first procedure question group definition • After fetching the innermost loop, the expression details are evaluated Simplified Structure of a MAIN Procedure
- 26. LOOP<Patient> Fetch Patient cursor LOOP <DCM1> Fetch DCM1 Cursor Execute Details End <DCM1> Loop End <Patient> Loop Simplified Structure of a MAIN Procedure … One DCM Procedure Question Group
- 27. LOOP<Patient> Fetch Patient cursor LOOP <DCM1> Fetch DCM1 Cursor Execute Details End <DCM1> Loop End <Patient> Loop LOOP <DCM2> Fetch DCM2 Cursor End <DCM2> Loop Two DCM Procedure Question Groups Simplified Structure of a MAIN Procedure
- 28. Some Techniques to Limit Retrievals • Correlate inner loop with a more outer loop – On event – On qualifying question value – On question values • Qualifying expressions • WHERE clause extension • Limit visits retrieved by the cursor
- 29. Correlations • Can correlate on events – Inner cursor retrieves only a visit retrieved by the outer correlated cursor • Can correlate on qualifying questions – Inner cursor only retrieves DCMs which have the same value for the DCM qualifying question • Can correlate on question values – Inner cursor fetches only if a question’s value is equal to a question’s value in the outer cursor Correlation limits the fetches for inner cursors based on data obtained by a fetch in a more outer cursor.
- 30. Fetch data for Patient 100 Fetch SYSTOLIC_BP from VITALS DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100 Correlation on Event Retrieval with No Correlation Fetch HYPERTENSIVE_YN from HYPERTENSION DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100 Test Fetch SYSTOLIC_BP from VITALS DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100 Fetch HYPERTENSIVE_YN from HYPERTENSION DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100 Test Fetch HYPERTENSIVE_YN from HYPERTENSION DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100 Test Fetch HYPERTENSIVE_YN from HYPERTENSION DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100 Test
- 31. Fetch data for Patient 100 Fetch SYSTOLIC_BP from VITALS DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100 Correlation on Event Retrieval with Correlation on Event Fetch HYPERTENSIVE_YN from HYPERTENSION DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100 Test Fetch SYSTOLIC_BP from VITALS DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100 Fetch HYPERTENSIVE_YN from HYPERTENSION DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100 Test Fetch HYPERTENSIVE_YN from HYPERTENSION DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100 TestX Fetch HYPERTENSIVE_YN from HYPERTENSION DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100 TestX
- 32. Correlation on Event Definition => Validation Procs => Procedures, Press [Q-Groups] Alias to correlate to Inner loops use the same event (including subevent) as retrieved for the outer (correlated) loop
- 33. Correlation on Qualifying Question Value • Assume two qualified DCMs recorded at a visit – Vitals DCM: qualified at Pre-Dose, 1 Hr Post-dose – EKG DCM: qualified at Pre-Dose, 1 Hr Post-dose • Correlate on both visit and qualifying question
- 34. Fetch data for Patient 100 Fetch SYSTOLIC_BP from VITALS DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100, Pre-Dose X Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100, Pre-dose Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100, Post-dose Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100, Pre-dose Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100, Post-dose X X Fetch SYSTOLIC_BP from VITALS DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100, Post-Dose Fetch SYSTOLIC_BP from VITALS DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100, Pre-Dose Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100, Pre-dose Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100, Post-dose Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100, Pre-dose Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100, Post-dose X X X Fetch SYSTOLIC_BP from VITALS DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100, Post-Dose X Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100, Pre-dose Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100, Post-dose Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100, Pre-dose Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100, Post-dose X X X Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100, Pre-dose Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 1, Pt 100, Post-dose Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100, Pre-dose Fetch EKG from EKG DCM for Visit 2, Pt 100, Post-dose X X Correlation on Qualifying Question Value
- 35. Correlating Questions • Use responses to DCM questions to correlate between outer and inner fetch loops – May want to fetch AE records where AE description matches the indication given for ConMed Definition => Validation Procs => Procedures, Press [Q-Groups]
- 36. Definition => Validation Procs => Procedures, Press [Q-Groups], [Correlating Questions] Inner loop will fetch records only if the values of the responses to the two pairs of questions are the same! Outer LoopOuter LoopInner Loop Correlating Questions
- 37. Correlations • Can correlate on Events – Inner cursor retrieves only a visit retrieved by the outer correlated cursor • Can correlate on Qualifying Questions – Inner cursor only retrieves DCMs which have the same value for the DCM Qualifying Question • Can correlate on Questions – Inner cursor fetches only if a question’s value is equal to a question’s value in the outer cursor Correlation limits the fetches for inner cursors based on data obtained by a fetch in a more outer cursor
- 38. Effect of Correlation on Event ACTUAL_EVENT_ID is retrieved as part of the standard cursor variables in the outer cursor ……. Outer Cursor Definition
- 39. Cursor variable i_actual_event_id specified when cursor is opened used in the where clause ……. Inner Cursor Definition Effect of Correlation on Event
- 40. Call to open inner (CM) cursor uses the actual_event_id retrieved by the outer_cursor Fetch on the outer (AE) cursor retrieves a value of actual_event_id ); Effect of Correlation on Event
- 41. Effect of Qualifying Question Value and Question Value Correlation • Other types of correlation (on qualifying question value or question values) work in the same way – When procedure compiled using these techniques, the procedure question group cursors are restricted – Opening of cursors in the MAIN procedure use cursor variables
- 42. Qualifying Expressions • Allow selection of records based on any information retrieved by the current or any more outer cursor – Can join values between cursors in the qualifying expression Continue only if medication on the AE form is not null
- 43. Qualifying Expressions • Allow selection of records based on any information retrieved by the current or any more outer cursor – Can join values between cursors in the qualifying expression Continue only if Medication on the AE form is not null
- 44. Patient Record Loop Details Fetch Qualify Loop Inner CM Cursor Loop Outer AE Cursor Loop Effect of Qualifying Expressions
- 45. Fetch an AE record Exit AE Fetch Qualify loop if no more AEs Exit AE Fetch Qualify loop if fetch qualifies Process inner loops/details or exit the cursor loop Effect of Qualifying Expressions
- 46. • Limit cursor fetch with SQL expression comprised of key DCM fields – An LOV is available for fields which can be used in the Extension – With caution, can use other variables in the RECEIVED_DCMS and RESPONSES tables, but only for the current cursor • One way to limit retrievals to specific visits WHERE Clause Extension
- 47. Can join only fields from the current cursor WHERE Clause Extension
- 48. • Limit cursor fetch with SQL expression comprised of key DCM fields – An LOV is available for fields which can be used in the Extension – With caution, can use other variables in the RECEIVED_DCMS and RESPONSES tables, but only for the current cursor • One way to limit retrievals to specific visits WHERE Clause Extension …
- 49. Extension of “where visit_number=1” Added to the default cursor definition Effect of Where Clause Extensions
- 50. • Can limit to a range of visits fetched by providing the names of the first and last visits on the procedure question group form By default, all patient visits will be retrieved by the DCM cursor Controlling Range of Visits
- 51. Definition => Validation Procs => Procedures, Press [Q-Groups] Only DCMs recorded for visits starting at “Visit 1” and going through “Visit 3” will be retrieved Controlling Range of Visits
- 52. • Can limit to a range of visits fetched by providing the names of the first and last visits on the Procedure Question Group form By default, all patient visits will be retrieved by the DCM cursor Controlling Range of Visits …
- 53. Effect of Range of Visits Control These are passed as input when the DCM cursor is opened by the main procedure
- 54. Performance • Generated PL/SQL code contains a multitude of loops – Cursors are opened, fetched and closed many times in the internal fetch loops • Use as much correlation as possible to improve performance – Some types of correlations affect performance more than others – Correlation may be necessary to make sure the procedure does what is expected
- 55. Effecting Performance Event Range In DCM Cursors Large Correlation Event In DCM Cursor Large Qualifying Value In DCM Cursor Large Correlating Questions In DCM Cursor Large Where Clause Extension In DCM Cursor Large Qualifying Expression Test after DCM Fetch Smaller Where Effect on Parameter Implemented Performance Note: In many cases, parameters must be changed so procedure performs correctly
- 56. Summary • Procedure generation produces a complex PL/SQL program • Program makes extensive use of cursors and looping structure • Program performance can be changed by correct use of many techniques available from the form templates
- 58. www.facebook.com/perficient www.perficient.com www.twitter.com/perficient_LS Thank You! For more information, please contact: steve.rifkin@perficient.com LifeSciencesInfo@perficient.com (Sales) +44 (0) 1865 910200 (U.K. Sales) +1 877 654 0033 (U.S. Sales)