REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) is a secure, web-based software platform designed to support data capture for research studies. REDCap was created by the Vanderbilt University with ongoing support from NCRR and NIH grants. It was first released in 2004 and has since become one of the most popular research data capture platforms in the world. REDCap provides:
- An intuitive interface for creating and managing online surveys and databases.
- Audit trails for tracking data manipulation and export procedures.
- Automated export procedures for seamless data downloads to common statistical packages.
- Procedures for data integration and interoperability with external sources.
REDCap is used by researchers in a wide range of disciplines, including medicine, public health, social sciences, and business. It is particularly well-suited for studies that require complex data collection or that need to be conducted remotely.
Benefits of using REDCap for research:
- Increased efficiency and accuracy: REDCap automates many time-consuming tasks associated with data collection and management, such as data entry, validation, and export. This can free up researchers to focus on more important aspects of their studies.
- Improved data quality: REDCap's built-in data validation features help to ensure that data is entered accurately and consistently.
- Enhanced security: REDCap is hosted on secure servers and uses encryption to protect data from unauthorized access.
- Increased flexibility: REDCap can be customised to meet the specific needs of any research study.
How we are using REDCap at the NPEC:
- Develop and control our own electronic data collection tools: REDCap gives us complete control over the development and quality of our data collection tools. This allows us to respond quickly to service needs and run sprint audits.
- Implement changes and pilot instruments at low cost: REDCap is a low-cost platform, which allows us to make changes and pilot instruments without being delayed by external companies.
- Build real-time reports and dashboards: REDCap allows us to build reports and dashboards that provide real-time data to users. This helps us to respond to their data needs quickly and effectively.
Acknowledgements
Study data were collected and managed using REDCap electronic data capture tools hosted at University College Cork.1,2 REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) is a secure, web-based software platform designed to support data capture for research studies, providing 1) an intuitive interface for validated data capture; 2) audit trails for tracking data manipulation and export procedures; 3) automated export procedures for seamless data downloads to common statistical packages; and 4) procedures for data integration and interoperability with external sources.
1.PA Harris, R Taylor, R Thielke, J Payne, N Gonzalez, JG. Conde, Research electronic data capture (REDCap) – A metadata-driven methodology and workflow process for providing translational research informatics support, J Biomed Inform. 2009 Apr;42(2):377-81.
2.PA Harris, R Taylor, BL Minor, V Elliott, M Fernandez, L O’Neal, L McLeod, G Delacqua, F Delacqua, J Kirby, SN Duda, REDCap Consortium, The REDCap consortium: Building an international community of software partners, J Biomed Inform. 2019 May 9 [doi: 10.1016/j.jbi.2019.103208]
