Data Harmonization

Data Harmonization

Data harmonization is a process that combines data across different sources and sites, and leads to the ability to combine and compare data across different studies. The Utah DCRC collaborates with the other HEAL ERN resource centers to provide seamless data management and analytics for studies. A key aspect of data harmonization is bringing together and reconciling naming conventions, file formats, and coding schemes (data standards). Our CDE team supports the HEAL Common Data Elements (CDEs) Program, harmonizing patient surveys and observations for the HEAL studies. This collection of standard forms, data elements, and terminology will be utilized by the HEAL data ecosystem and will inform future research teams as they design their studies.

Data Sharing

NIH HEAL Initiative studies are required to share data with the data indexed by the HEAL data ecosystem. The HEAL data ecosystem provides a central platform to locate and identify data that gain value as a resource for future studies. We help teams to develop data sharing plans and support creation of analytic and shared data sets.

Decentralized Trials

An increasing number of projects are incorporating online surveys, data from mobile devices and sensors, and similar approaches. The Utah DCRC supports investigators and study teams with remote data acquisition solutions (e.g., eConsent, remote patient surveys, item 3), into study protocols and to effectively put those elements into operation.