The impact of fine-tuning of optical recognition system on database reliability

• Published in: Computers in biology and medicine Vol. 42; no. 7; pp. 778 - 783
• Main Authors: Modesti, P.A, Massetti, L, Bamoshmoosh, M, Baldereschi, M, Cambi, G.E, Rapi, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2012
• Subjects: Alkaloids; Automatic data processing; Automatic Data Processing - methods; Automatic Data Processing - standards; Clinical trial; Computer applications; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data entry; Data management system; Database Management Systems; Databases, Factual; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods; Internal Medicine; Models, Theoretical; Odds Ratio; Optical readers; Other; Reproducibility of Results; Surveys and Questionnaires; Optical readers; Clinical trial; Automatic data processing; Data management system; Data entry
• ISSN: 0010-4825; 1879-0534
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2012.05.003

Abstract Although optical reading systems are important tools to transfer data from a paper form to electronic databases, the impact of system fine-tuning on the final error rate is not usually considered. At the end of a multi-step process involving paper form design training of operators, and fine-tuning procedure, the final rate of error can be reduced from 0.65% to 0.05%. Fine-tuning should be introduced as a standard procedure while using optical reading systems.