attributes

Summary

There are multiple attribute tables that exist in Pellucid. Each links to a different table. Each attributes table holds attributes for their respective entities. Attribute is the type and value is the value of the attribute (e.g. designation, emergency).

Attributes are pieces of useful information that are stored for an entity that have the potential to change constantly.  As such, they are stored in their own table, and not kept as identifying/detailed information in the table with the entity itself.  An example of an attribute could be bed count, as the amount of beds devoted to a specific unit of a hospital or entity can change regularly.

The attributes tables are as follows:

• entity_asc_attributes
• entity_calculation_attributes
• entity_clinic_attributes
• entity_geography_attributes
• entity_home_health_attributes
• entity_hospital_attributes
• entity_mco_attributes
• entity_nursing_home_attributes
• entity_physician_attributes
• entity_practice_attributes
• entity_system_attributes

These child tables are specific to the parent entity table they are associated with.  

Table Creation

CREATE TABLE hospital_attributes ( 
`attribute_id` int(11) unsigned NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, 
`entity_id` bigint(20) unsigned NOT NULL, 
`attribute` varchar(255) NOT NULL, 
`value` varchar(255) DEFAULT NULL, 
`created` timestamp NOT NULL DEFAULT '0000-00-00 00:00:00', 
`modified` timestamp NOT NULL DEFAULT '0000-00-00 00:00:00' ON UPDATE CURRENT_TIMESTAMP, 
`source` varchar(64) DEFAULT NULL, 
PRIMARY KEY (`attribute_id`), 
KEY `entity_id` (`entity_id`), 
CONSTRAINT `hospital_attributes_ibfk_1` FOREIGN KEY (`entity_id`) REFERENCES `entity_hospitals` (`entity_id`) ON DELETE CASCADE 
) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;

Field Information

`attribute_id` unique ID that identifies each attribute 
`entity_id` ID number that indicates an entity or asc. Links to the entity_hospitals or entity_ascs tables 
`attribute` descriptors identifying the type of attribute associated with the entity 
`value` the value of the attribute 
`created` the date and time the row was created in YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS format 
`modified` the date and time the row was last edited in YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS format

Fields

PRIMARY KEY (`attribute_id`) 
KEY `entity_id` (`entity_id`) 
CONSTRAINT `hospital_attributes_ibfk_1` FOREIGN KEY (`entity_id`) REFERENCES `entity_hospitals` (`entity_id`) ON DELETE CASCADE

Notes

Some of the attributes tables will also have a source associated with them.  This is a VARCHAR field that allows us to identify where the data is coming from

The attribute_id is the primary key and is unique to the table, but can be used multiple times in different attributes tables.  As such, it differs from the entity_id that is specifically designed to be unique across multiple tables.