Integrated Data Repository

Supported by the UF CTSI and Shands HealthCare, the Integrated Data Repository (IDR) is a large-scale database that collects and organizes information from across UF Health’s clinical and research enterprises. The IDR enables new research discoveries as well as improvements in the quality and safety of patient care.

A simple application of an IDR is cohort identification — the ability to ask and answer straightforward questions regarding patient populations and occurrences of incidents over time. How many patients are in our catchment area that have particular ailments? How many have particular complications? And by eventually combining clinical setting data with research data, we can answer subsequent questions, such as: how many of those patients have tissue in our biorepository? Cohort identification can be used to improve quality of care. It can also be used for clinical trial planning. The IDR enables many new capabilities.

Accessing IDR Data for Research

• Access to IDR data is provided through the NIH-funded i2b2 tool, which provides researchers access to a HIPAA-compliant and IRB-approved “Limited Data Set.” Faculty researchers can query the i2b2 Limited Data Set to identify cohort counts as they prepare grant proposals, plan clinical trials, and write IRB protocols.
• i2b2 Overview
• i2b2 10-minute Online Training
• i2b2 Registration
• i2b2 Log-In
• Faculty researchers can also apply for IRB approval to obtain more detailed data from the IDR for further research analysis.

Learn More

• UF Academic Health Center IDR Website
• CTSI Resource Spotlight: Integrated Data Repository
• Two presentations are available online as part of the CTSI Seminar Series Video Archive:
  • An Integrated Data Repository for Quality Improvement and Research
    May 2, 2011, Presented by Aaron Abend, MBA, Co-founder and Managing Director, Recombinant Data Corporation
  • The Integrated Data Repository at the University of Florida
    May 12, 2011, Panel Discussion

Related News

• On the Same Page, Dec. 12, 2012: Our Continuously Learning Health System

Project Background

Goals and Objectives

1. Create a scalable infrastructure for the integrated data repository
2. Create data flows from Epic and laboratory systems to the integrated data repository
3. Create access control and governance processes for the integrated data repository
4. Incorporate UF Consent2Share processes to track patient consent for UF to store excess tissue from their health-care visits for research purposes and/or for UF researchers to contact them about future studies
5. Demonstrate cohort identification from the new integrated data repository

Team

Supported by the UF CTSI and Shands HealthCare, the Integrated Data Repository is a joint effort of the colleges, the major institutes, and UF Health IT. Gigi Lipori is the project lead. For additional information, please contact Gigi Lipori; Kari Cassel, UF Health CIO; or Mike Conlon, CTSI COO. Recombinant Data, a company focused on IDR work in academic health settings, was engaged to implement a proof of concept based on the i2b2 platform.

Impact

UF Health will have a new capability for cohort identification, providing counts of patients in clinics and outpatient settings with specified attributes. The project will create new data governance processes, data management processes, access control and consent processes.

Timeline

The project kick-off meeting was held March 1, 2011. The proof of concept was operational in June 2011, with an initial focus on cohort identification (see the UF CTSI’s 2011 Cohort Identification RFA and Awardees). Researchers can now register for i2b2 access to query IDR data for cohort discovery.