  In Australia, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are managed in a complex and
fragmented healthcare system across multiple providers. A data repository that
links data sources, and enables advanced analytics and big data technologies,
will generate novel insights, and allow development of translational tools that
can improve patient care and outcomes. The Cardiac Analytics and Innovation
(CardiacAI) project has established a research-ready electronic medical records
data resource to enable collaborative and translational cardiovascular
research. The CardiacAI data repository prospectively extracts de-identified
electronic medical record (EMR) data from two local health districts (LHD) in
New South Wales (NSW), Australia. These data are linked with Australian
population health data to ascertain longitudinal hospitalisation and death
outcomes. The data are stored within a secure, cloud-based storage and
analytics platform. The CardiacAI data repository is a not-for-profit data
resource that promotes collaboration and responsible sharing of data. The
CardiacAI data repository is a resource for Australian healthcare providers,
clinicians and researchers seeking to improve cardiovascular care. The project
is expanding to include data from stroke hospitalisations and two additional
NSW LHDs, and is actively exploring linkage with ECG signal data, medical
imaging data and community-based healthcare. The CardiacAI project has the
potential to unlock a wealth of novel insights and translational tools that
improve secondary prevention and treatment of CVD.
