UQ REDCap

Overview

The Faculty of Medicine at The University of Queensland manages a REDCap instance for UQ research.

REDCap is a secure web platform for building and managing online data collection. REDCap's streamlined process for rapidly creating and designing online forms offers a vast array of tools that can be tailored to virtually any data collection strategy.

REDCap features include: exports to specific statistical packages (SPSS, SAS, Stata, R); randomisation; audit trail logs; longitudinal repeated measures; calendars and scheduling; form branching logic; data quality rules; data workflow resolution; file uploading; calculated fields; logic triggered alerts; data segregation (example: data can only be seen for your clinic); summary statistics dashboards; participant completed survey(s) sent to schedule; SMS integration; optional ad hoc reporting tools.

If your requirements are for a simple single online survey then alternatives at UQ include: Qualtrics, CheckBox, and Microsoft Forms. Please ensure your chosen platform is appropriate with respect to privacy and security for the type of data you are collecting.

Techniques and services

Availability: The UQ REDCap server is available to all UQ studies lead by UQ researchers, but is currently subject to a yearly charge (See FAQs). Note that we extend access to your UQ study to any number of external collaborators (example: remote site clinic staff).

REDCap administration: while your study staff will typically handle to operation of your project, there are REDCap functions that can only be serviced by the REDCap administrator. The standard REDCap administration includes:

Create/edit/unsuspend any user accounts required for your project. Example: accounts for: site staff, data entry, project manager, investigators, etc.
Pass on your production status project changes
Enable any optional modules (e.g. double entry, SMS)
Process project framework changes to production status projects.
Basic help, trouble shooting, tips and tricks

Zoom help: please arrange a Zoom time with the REDCap administrator via email for any REDCap issues.

Individualised workshop: We can provide a customised session(s) to work through the setup of the structure of your own project, including development of some of your forms to ensure the framework is configured to your study's requirements, with the aim to familiarise your team with the REDCap processes and take over the build.

Project development: While we strongly recommend that staff develop their own project within REDCap, we can provide a quote for complete development of your project framework and forms, please contact the REDCap administrator for more information.

Staff

Simon Forsyth, REDCap Systems Administrator.

Simon has been involved with information technology since 1982, and in health science since joining the Tropical Health Program at the University of Queensland (UQ) in 1988. With proficiencies in database design, programming, data management, data analysis. Designing and analysing data for numerous projects over the 30+ years, Simon currently runs the University of Queensland’s REDCap server, which hosts over 400 active research projects including clinical trials, translational studies, behavioral research, and epidemiological projects. The UQ REDCap server currently hosts over 800 active projects serving over 5000 user accounts. Simon assists with project trouble shooting, training, workshops, advice and per project consultancy as required. Simon continues to develp skills to aid researchers to safely, securely collect data in an ethical and methodologically sound manner.

FAQs

Should I backup my data?
Yes, and regularly. See Backup your REDCap project.

I need to add a new project staff member to my REDCap project, what do I do?
New user requests need to come from projet management or investigator who has "User Rights" permissions within the project. Send an email to the REDCap administrator redcap@uq.edu.au with the following information:
Project username prefix: pre_
firstName familyName emailAddress
Example:

Please add the following users to my project
	Project: "Malaria Elimination in the Pacific" PID=818
	Project username prefix: mlria_
	Simon Forsyth s.forsyth@uq.edu.au
	Deborah Terry d.terry@uq.edu.au

Can I store large amounts of data within REDCap?
For most studies, the record size per participant is small (even for lengthy multiple section surveys), however some researchers have expressed the desire to store large files such as scanned x-rays, audio interviews, video and the like. We have recently migrated to a new server and currently have a reasonable amount of space available to accommodate moderately modest scale data storage within the REDCap server. However, if your project requires massive data storage (example: an hour video per participant) then we request that you contact us to discuss storage options (QCIF/RDM?). Please contact the REDCap administrator for more information, with an estimate of the size of files per participant and the number of participants.

How much does the service cost?
While REDCap is free software, restricted to university/research institutions, we currently charge $750 per study per year to cover server maintenance and REDCap administration.

My study needs multiple REDCap projects, is the charge per project?
Many studies require multiple logical REDCap projects to run (e.g. one REDCap project for participants, another for their children, i.e. one parent to many children) however as long as the REDCap projects are the single study then there is only one charge.

For multiple REDCap projects to be flagged as a single study, the main project must be identified as “Research” and the other studies should be “Operational Support” under: Project Setup > Main project settings > Modify project title, purpose, etc > Project’s purpose

Operational Support status is to be used only for REDCap projects that are directly involved in the operation of the one main “Research” study. Typically OpSup type projects are for handling different unit records in the same study that don’t fit well together in the one project, examples: (1) A study that has exclusion criteria, and randomisation into arms, this needs a separate project for enrolment and randomisation, and another project where only included participants are placed into the appropriate arm; (2) A study that records a range of household details and also multiple forms for person details within each house, this study could create a project for household data and another for the human data; (3) A multi-clinic study records information about the clinic, the doctor and patients could have three projects clinic, doctor, patient.

Does my sub-study qualify as the same study?
"Sub-studies" and "side studies" usually do not qualify to be operational support. There is a reasonably generalised definition for a same-study consideration: described in the same protocol as the main study, described in the same ethics document, works on the same (or a subset of) the main study participant group, and has the same end date as the main study.

Is there a student discount?
The charge is reduced to $300 per study per year where (0) The research student is currently enrolled at UQ, (1) the student is a named investigator (preferably chief investigator), (2) the department is paying from UQ funds, and (3) the student plays a roll in running the project. The student should discuss with their supervisor about the research budget allocation – the payment for the discounted charge must be made by RISQ (internal UQ funds transfer).

Can I use SMS with REDCap?
Yes, but there is an additional expense incurred by your project directly with the third part SMS service (Twilio). Please contact the REDCap administrator for more information.

What SMS features are offered within REDCap ?
Send an SMS with a link to a survey to study participants.
Send questions and receive answers via SMS.
Conduct a survey via computerised voice.
Send alerts to project staff based on your rules defined within REDCap.

What are the iOS / Android REDCap app?
We do not support the iOS or Android REDCap apps but you are welcome to use these under your own support, and should be aware of the caveats (not all REDCap features work, data storage and transfer issues). The mobile apps are only for project staff use, not participant. The apps are designed to allow data collection when there is no internet connectivity. If you are confident of internet availability then we strongly recommend that you make use of your portable device's web browser which will operate with the standard REDCap web interface.

What is MyCap?
MyCap is a separate mobile application that is designed specifically for participants to use directly. Studies can also use this under their own support with the same caveats as the iOS and Android REDCap apps.

My project isn't working as expected, where do I go?
Contact the REDCap administrator, ensure you include your project ID (PID), your exact project title, a screen shot of any error reported and/or relevant screen, a description of where within REDCap you were to cause this issue.

May I have an External Module enabled for my project?
Please note that for security and performance issues, we do not install external modules or plug-ins or hooks, and we restrict direct access to data via the REDCap API (external software). REDCap provides multiple methods to download data in a variety of formats and we strongly encourage projects to take advantage of this facility. On our REDCap service development plan, we have an “open” instance of REDCap to be built, this additional REDCap server would allow all external modules and API access, with the caveat of potentially reduced stability and security – this server is currently being built and expected to be available by mid 2024.

May I have direct API access to my REDCap project?
See above.