UDIs of devices are typically tracked in the patients medical records.
What you are talking about is a central database with all of it. Yes, that would be good, but it doesn't mean that each patients UDIs of devices implanted or used isn't tracked (or supposed to be) within their medical records.
I think that maybe you are having trouble believing that such simple and basic information is omitted from medical records. Like it is obvious from the perspective of anyone who touches data that we should be capturing this info. But I can assure that we are not.
Here is some reading material about the issue.
It's in your chart, not epic. There are stickers that come with the devices that they put on the charts. In digital hospitals it's a barcode that gets scanned.
I personally know of many situations in which they were and are recorded. They may not be everywhere, but they are most places.
I'm in the hospital now by chance, they're doing it!
I invite you to do the exercise of tracking implant data of a case you observe (i.e. you have the MRN and first hand knowledge) through your clinic / hospital IT system. I think you might be surprised.
Anyway, these details like training clinicians to scan the right barcode, checking integrity, routing the right info into the right fields, etc are what I was referring to when I mentioned up front expenditures on IT and operations.
HIPPA exists so this can't happen. You (not the patient or their caregiver) should absolutely have no access, no right to access, and no need to access the personal medical details of a person.
I would never do such a thing, why are you?
Pragmatically, it exists. If Boston Scientific has an issue with a lead in one of their neurostimulators, they need to know who needs surgury to replace it and who doesn't.
These processes exist, you just don't know about them because you are focused on it from a data mining perspective, not a caregivers or patients perspective.
LOL! Because I wrote a research proposal that was approved, got an IRB, and worked with a team of clinical staff to execute the study. That’s generally what goes on at major academic research hospitals.
> If Boston Scientific has an issue with a lead in one of their neurostimulators, they need to know who needs surgury to replace it and who doesn't.
This is an assumption you are making that is not valid. Please do yourself a favor and look at some of the links that I have posted in this thread. What I am telling you is not a secret. Many people have been writing and talking about for many years.
The world of Healthcare is far far bigger than research....