Re: Database design.

[Drsolly <drsollyp () drsolly com>]

On Tue, 6 Jun 2006, Andrew wrote:

> Drsolly wrote:
> > I can't imagine why you'd need a lot of hardware. If 60 million people 
> > each need 20kb of data on average, that's 1.2 terabytes, which is four 300 
> > gb hard drives. Of course, you'd want some mirroring and multiple 
> > locations, but even so. I could do the pilot project on one server; maybe 
> >   
> I'm not sure how you arrived at 20 kb.  I had to reread your message to 
> ensure you were serious.
>
> Several participants mentioned x-rays or other radiology studies when 
> disputing this ridiculous estimate, and for good reason.  Of course, I 
> only know of practice in the United States, but it is likely similar 
> elsewhere.

Not in the UK. I'm going by my own medical records, and I'm probably not 
exceptional.
 
> Most studies are kept for seven years. Mammography studies are kept for 
> nine years. Studies on children are kept at least until they turn 18.  
> They range in size from tens of megs to a gigabyte. Either England's 
> central health care database scope doesn't include storing the digital 
> radiology for 60 million people, or they're going to need that money.

We haven't stored it in the past. The question becomes - do we want to 
spend $40 billion on storing stuff that *might* be useful, or do we want 
to spend it on doctors, nurses and hospitals that we *know* will be 
useful.

Another item of information that you might not have known, is that the 
National health service is currently in a funding crunch, and nurses are 
being laid off.
 
> Well, perhaps not 40 billion.  But exponentially more than the, "is this 
> guy for real?" two hundred thousand you mentioned.
 
Well, my original posting was a question, how much? I'm not saying that my 
figure is correct, I just want to know what is the wonderful health-giving 
thing that we get for the extra $39,999 million. Digitising x-rays instead 
of storing them on the film that they're made on, doesn't sound like a 
candidate.

Yes, I'm for real. I'm questioning whether we're spending our $40 billion 
on the best health-giving option.

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