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REDCap Cloud

 

What is REDCap Cloud?

REDCapCloud is a data collection tool for building surveys and databases, offering end-to-end privacy and security compliance. It includes built-in tools to help manage data collection and export data in various formats for further analysis (e.g., CSV, SAS, Excel). Note that these file formats can be read by other statistical packages like SPSS, Stata and R.

Approved TCU faculty can create a REDCap Cloud project and access it online using any device with internet access. REDCap Cloud has training modules available, as well as internal templates and guidance for building out a project that can be customized to fit the project’s needs. Approved users can design the data collection instruments needed and test them in a development status before moving the project to production to collect actual data.

The intent of REDCap Cloud is to collect data responsibly and securely according to the appropriate regulations and review board, including:

  • the Privacy Regulations and the Security Regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) of 1996 and its implementing regulations and guidance, all as amended from time to time;
  • the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (“HITECH Act”), as incorporated in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and its implementing regulations and guidance issued by the Secretary, all as amended from time to time;
  • and abide by all guidelines the TCU’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) provides.

Key Features and Benefits

One of REDCap Clouds’ best features is its user-friendliness. With a small amount of training, you can build your own forms and reports and manage your own study data.

Other features and benefits include:

  • An intuitive interface for data entry (with data validation)
  • Audit trails for tracking data manipulation and export procedures
  • Automated export procedures for seamless data downloads to common statistical packages (SPSS, SAS, Stata, R)
  • Provides procedures for importing data from external sources
  • Facilitates compliance with HIPAA policies and procedures
  • Advanced features, such as branching logic and calculated fields

How to Request Access to REDCap Cloud

Who can request access to REDCap Cloud?

RedCap Cloud requests can only be made by the current TCU Faculty, who will serve as the project’s principal investigator (PI). Requests will be reviewed case-by-case by the Vice Provost of Research. Priority will be given to PIs with external funding and/or industry-sponsored clinical trials. However, you may still submit a request if a study is internally funded. Due to the limited seats, a PI may request one seat per externally funded study (preferred). A PI may only create a project in REDCap Cloud for which they were approved. Access to RedCap will only be for human subject research. You must have or be working on IRB approval at the time of the request. If granted access, it will only last for the duration of your initial IRB approval; the PI must renew their access and request annually to coincide with their IRB renewal approval (continuing review or annual check-in).

How do I add additional members?

If additional study team members also need access to REDCap, exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Vice Provost for Research. This includes external research collaborators who may need access based on their role in the research project. Please note: Before submitting an initial request that includes external users (whether access is granted or denied), they must complete the TCU Associate process(https://hr.tcu.edu/associate-request.php). Once the access request is made, you will include their TCU credentials (tcu email and ID number), then indicate on the form if the additional study team member is internal or external to TCU. 

Once access to the REDCap Cloud is requested, the Vice Provost for Research will approve or deny the request. The TCU faculty member who submits the request will receive a decision email either way. To complete the request form, click the link below.

Request RedCap Cloud Access

 

Requirements Prior to the use of REDCap Cloud

If granted access, new users must complete the required e-learning for RedCap Cloud. The required e-learning modules are assigned based on your role REDCap Roles & Definitions. Some study team members may have more e-learning modules to complete than others.

The Office of Research Compliance will create your e-learning username. If you are granted access, the RCC system-generated email you receive will have instructions for how and when to create your password to access the e-learning environment.

Once you complete the e-learning training, forward the email alerting you that you’ve been granted access and that the e-learning is complete to RedcapRequest@tcu.edu. The Office of Research Compliance will verify that all required modules are complete. At this point, the Office of Research Compliance will forward the study team information and roles to TCU IT to create roles and grant permissions to the various RedCap Cloud environments (Sandbox, UAT, Build, Production).

What are the RedCap Cloud environments?

REDCap Cloud offers several environments to support the different stages of building and deploying your research applications.

Here’s a breakdown of the key environments:

1.Sandbox

Purpose: This is your playground! It’s a disposable environment where you can freely experiment with REDCap’s features, test new configurations, and try different approaches without impacting live data or applications.

Key Features:

  • Provides a safe space for learning and exploration.
  • Ideal for testing out new ideas, customizations, and integrations.
  • Changes made in the Sandbox environment do not affect other environments.

2.Build

Purpose: This is where you actively develop and refine your REDCap applications. You can create new projects, design data collection instruments, configure workflows, and integrate with other systems.

Key Features:

  • Provides a dedicated environment for building and modifying REDCap projects.
  • Allows for version control and collaboration among developers.
  • Changes made in the build environment can be migrated to UAT and Production after thorough testing.

3.UAT (User Acceptance Testing)

Purpose: This environment replicates your Production environment and is used for final testing before going live. It allows you to validate your application with real-world data and user scenarios.

Key Features:

  • Mirrors the Production environment to ensure accurate testing.
  • Allows for thorough testing of workflows, data validation rules, and user roles.
  • Helps identify and resolve any issues before they impact real users.

4.Production

Purpose: This is the live environment where real users access your REDCap Cloud applications. It’s where actual data collection, analysis, and reporting take place.

Key Features:

  • Hosts your live REDCap Cloud projects and data.
  • Requires strict access controls and security measures to protect sensitive information.
  • Typically has high availability and performance requirements to ensure uninterrupted user access.

You can find a wealth of information and templates in the REDCap Shared Library