Healthcare Knowledge Graph

2.1 What is a Knowledge Graph?

A knowledge graph is a network of entities (nodes) and their interrelations (edges). In a healthcare context, nodes may represent patients, diseases, medications, and healthcare providers.

2.2 Graph Database

A graph database is a type of database optimized for storing and retrieving graph structures. It allows for complex queries across interconnected data.

2.3 Entities and Relationships

Entities in healthcare might include:

• Patients
• Doctors
• Medications
• Diagnoses
• Procedures

Relationships define how these entities interact, such as "prescribed_by" or "diagnosed_with".

3.1 Define Your Schema

Establish a schema that outlines the types of entities and relationships. Use a diagramming tool for visualization.

3.2 Data Ingestion

Collect data from various sources like EHRs, clinical trials, and research databases. Ensure data quality and consistency.

3.3 Example Schema in Cypher

CREATE (:Patient {id: "P1", name: "John Doe", age: 30})-[:DIAGNOSED_WITH]->(:Diagnosis {name: "Diabetes"});
CREATE (:Doctor {id: "D1", name: "Dr. Smith"})-[:PRESCRIBES]->(:Medication {name: "Metformin"});
                

3.4 Querying the Graph

Use Cypher queries to retrieve information from the graph. For example:

MATCH (p:Patient)-[:DIAGNOSED_WITH]->(d:Diagnosis)
RETURN p.name, d.name;