Standardized Architecture for a Mega-Biobank Phenomic Library: The Million Veteran Program (MVP)

Abstract

Electronic health records (EHRs) provide a wealth of data for phenotype development in population health studies, and researchers invest considerable time to curate data elements and validate disease definitions. The ability to reproduce well-defined phenotypes increases data quality, comparability of results and expedites research. In this paper, we present a standardized approach to organize and capture phenotype definitions, resulting in the creation of an open, online repository of phenotypes. This resource captures phenotype development, provenance and process from the Million Veteran Program, a national mega-biobank embedded in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). To ensure that the repository is searchable, extendable, and sustainable, it is necessary to develop both a proper digital catalog architecture and underlying metadata infrastructure to enable effective management of the data fields required to define each phenotype. Our methods provide a resource for VHA investigators and a roadmap for researchers interested in standardizing their phenotype definitions to increase portability.