The Division of Biomedical Informatics supports clinical and translational researchers with tasks such as:

• Web site design and development -- see our web hosting page for details
• Group collaboration and resource management -- see our collaboration tools page for details
• Web-based-forms/electronic data capture systems development -- more details on this page, below
• Database design and reporting -- see our database servers page for a list of options
• Commercial and open-source software evaluation/acquisition -- see our software page for a complete list of available packages

Options for data collection

Clinical and translational researchers at Cincinnati Children's and UC have several options for study data collection:

TeleForm®: paper-based data collection

TeleForm is software for creating paper-based forms that, upon completion, are faxed or scanned to a system that allows for automated and human validation before responses are stored in a database. At Cincinnati Children's, the Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology (DBE) maintains this resource. If you are interested in using TeleForm for your study, contact Rachel Akers, DBE.

REDCap: simple, no-frills web-based forms

REDCap is a software toolset developed by Vanderbilt University and now available to the research community through the Informatics Working Group. REDCap is designed for creating no-frills, web-based forms for small- to medium-sized (typical GCRC) clinical research studies. By relying on data dictionaries, or study metadata, REDCap aims to be customizable on a study-by-study basis without the need for extensive programming. The General Clinical Research Center at Cincinnati Children's is responsible for setting up studies in REDCap. For more information, contact Cathy McGraw, GCRC.

InfoPath®/SharePoint®: moderately complex web-based forms with workflow

Microsoft offers two companion technologies, InfoPath and SharePoint, that can be used to meet clinical researchers' needs for electronic data capture. InfoPath 2007 is a product from Microsoft that enables you to create web-based forms without any knowledge of programming or web design. SharePoint is a platform for hosting InfoPath forms and attaching workflows to them.

Key benefits of InfoPath include the ability to:

• Import Word/Excel forms
• Insert text boxes, drop-down lists, check boxes, option buttons and other controls
• Define skip and repeat patterns
• Add rules and data validation to reduce post-processing
• Create screen and printer-friendly views
• Attach workflows for routing forms

If you are interested in developing a study using InfoPath/SharePoint, contact Keith Marsolo, BMI.

Custom applications: highly complex forms, web-based or stand-alone

Sometimes REDCap, TeleForm and InfoPath/SharePoint cannot meet an investigator's needs -- for example, when forms are highly complex or when neither paper nor web-based forms are desired.  In these cases, BMI can develop a custom software application using technologies such as ASP.NET WebForms, Flash® and PHP. Contact Keith Marsolo for details.