− | Of these, the DEVICE_ID is the most important, being a consistent and unique identifier used across the system to refer to a device. We also often use the TRADE_NAME, as it is more understandable to humans than DEVICE_IDs are. USAGE_CODE, PREF_NAME_CODE (PNC), and GMDN_CODE are various ways to group devices together, in increasingly precise ways, and RISK_CLASSIFICATION is used as a loose “risk level” of devices. The remaining fields are a pair of dates that we seldom use, a flag for whether the device is under the “new” regulations, and an “obsolete” flag, none of which we tend to use in our queries (but we could). | + | Of these, the DEVICE_ID is the most important, being a consistent and unique identifier used across the system to refer to a device. We also often use the TRADE_NAME, as it is more understandable to humans than DEVICE_IDs are. USAGE_CODE, PREF_NAME_CODE (PNC), and GMDN_CODE are various ways to group devices together, in increasingly precise ways, and RISK_CLASSIFICATION is used as a loose “risk level” of devices. The remaining fields are a pair of dates, a flag for whether the device is under the “new” regulations, and an “obsolete” flag. |
− | DEVICE_ID is the primary key for this table. The Device ID is a grouping up of sometimes multiple model numbers into a group that one can think of as being the “device”; examples would be a type of breast implant, or a style and type of tubing made by a specific company. Here is a screenshot from the current (2022) MDALL, showing the various levels of the device hierarchy. | + | DEVICE_ID is the primary key for this table. The Device ID is a grouping up of sometimes multiple model numbers into a group that one can think of as being the “device”; examples would be a type of breast implant, or a style and type of tubing made by a specific company. Here is a screenshot from the current (2022) [[Medical Devices Active Licence Listing]] ([https://health-products.canada.ca/mdall-limh/ MDALL]), showing the various levels of the device hierarchy. |
| As you can see in this example, the licence is for SALINE-FILLED MAMMARY PROTHESIS – SMOOTH, but it has at least two DEVICE_IDs included, that were issued at different times. Each of these DEVICE_IDs then has many models numbers, chiefly differing in this case in the size of the implant. For tubing or screws, as another example, device identifiers may be the length of the tubing or screws. | | As you can see in this example, the licence is for SALINE-FILLED MAMMARY PROTHESIS – SMOOTH, but it has at least two DEVICE_IDs included, that were issued at different times. Each of these DEVICE_IDs then has many models numbers, chiefly differing in this case in the size of the implant. For tubing or screws, as another example, device identifiers may be the length of the tubing or screws. |