Clinical Data Target Architecture

Business Case:

An Academic Medical Center desired to apply for and obtain one of sixty Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  The client had submitted a grant application the previous year and received feedback that their clinical data research infrastructure was insufficient to qualify for the Award.  Improvement of their qualifications in this area was critical to succeeding this year.

Solution: 

CapTech consultants interviewed over twenty key Health System and Clinical Research staff to establish a view of the current state of their clinical data infrastructure and an understanding of the organization’s needs going forward. Combining our knowledge of Data Management and Business Intelligence best practices with guidance provided by the Director of the Biomedical Informatics Program at Ohio State University, CapTech established a best-of-breed Clinical Data Target Architecture utilizing Oracle and Informatica commercial products as well as the emerging clinical analysis platform i2b2 and caGRID integration technology.  CapTech’s target architecture also ensured that all data stored would meet HIPAA privacy rules and be de-identified and anonymized. At the client’s request, CapTech personnel drafted the portion of the grant describing the target architecture. A deployment roadmap was also delivered to the client describing how the architecture will be deployed. 

Tools: 
  • Oracle
  • Informatica
  • I2b2
  • caGRID
Results: 
  • Improved qualifications positioned client as a front-runner for CTSA Centers of Excellence grant
  • Enhanced efficiency and security of electronic data sharing with the CTSA consortia and with other national clinical and translational research networks
  • Accelerated the integration of clinical research findings into community clinical practice and public health