Case Study on Database Design for a Healthcare Management System

Objective:

To analyze, design, and propose a database solution for a healthcare management system,

considering both SQL and NoSQL database technologies. Students will also create a

detailed presentation to defend their choices and demonstrate the system$$s capabilities.

Scenario:

A mid$-$sized hospital aims to overhaul its legacy patient management system to improve

patient care, data security, and operational efficiency. The new system must handle various

data types, including patient records, appointments, medical histories, staff information,

and billing details.

Requirements:

$$ Security: High security for sensitive medical and personal information.

$$ Scalability: Ability to scale as the hospital expands services and patient numbers.

$$ Reliability: High availability and reliability, ensuring no downtime.

$$ Performance: Fast query responses for real$-$time data access by hospital staff.

$$ Integration: It can integrate with existing health information systems like EHRs

$($electronic health records$).$

Tasks:

$1.$ System Analysis and Requirements Gathering $(15$ Points$)$

$$ Identify specific needs based on the given scenario.

$$ Outline the expected load on the system $($e$.$g$.,$ number of transactions per

second, data growth over time$).$

$2.$ Database Design $(25$ Points$)$

$$ Propose a database schema using ER diagrams and normalization for SQL

databases or data modeling for NoSQL databases.

$$ Justify the choice between SQL and NoSQL based on the scenario

requirements, including discussions on data structure, scalability, and the

nature of queries.

$3.$ Security and Data Protection Plan $(20$ Points$)$

$$ Design a security framework that considers data at rest and in transit.

$$ Recommendations for compliance with healthcare regulations $($e$.$g$.,$ HIPAA

in the U$.$S$.).$

$4.$ Implementation Strategy $(15$ Points$)$

$$ Outline the phases of implementation, including migration from the legacy

system.

$$ Discuss tools and technologies needed for the setup and ongoing

management of the database system. $1.$ Depth of Analysis $(20$ Points$)$

$$ Thoroughness in identifying system requirements and potential challenges.

$$ Detail and realism in database design.

$2.$ Appropriateness of Database Solution $(30$ Points$)$

$$ Justification for the choice of SQL or NoSQL database.

$$ Practicality and scalability of the proposed schema and technologies.

$3.$ Security and Compliance $(20$ Points$)$

$$ Adequacy and thoroughness of the security plan.

$$ Understanding of relevant legal and compliance issues.

$5.$ Critical Thinking and Creativity $(10$ Points$)$

$$ Originality in approach and problem$-$solving.

Deliverables:

$$ A detailed report covering all tasks. $($with detailed queries and comments on the queries$)$