READY TO GET STARTED?

Interested in partnering with REACHnet to conduct observational research?

Here’s some helpful information to get started.

PREPARE FOR YOUR STUDY

Before requesting data, an investigator should:

• Establish clear study aims and research questions that can be answered by the available data.
• Consider requesting a prep-to-research (PTR) query to help determine feasibility of your study. A PTR query provides the number of patients that meet your study’s criteria. To request a query, submit a Query Request Form in our online submission portal.
• Have an identified source of funding or be actively seeking funding for the project.
• Consider how health system partners and patient stakeholders will be engaged in the project.
• Determine clear specifications for the study population, including inclusion and exclusion criteria, time period, and desired data elements along with the appropriate codes (see the Data Request Form for additional detail).
• Understand the IRB approval process at your institution and be ready to develop the IRB protocol for your study.

DATA SPECIFICATIONS

Electronic health record data from REACHnet’s health system partners is standardized to the PCORnet Common Data Model. For data specifications please see: https://pcornet.org/data-driven-common-model/

COST OF REACHNET SERVICES

The fee for REACHnet’s data services depends on several factors that vary from study to study, including but not limited to:

• Complexity of the dataset specifications and study population
• Number of REACHnet partner health systems that agree to participate
• Source of funding for the study
• Inclusion of linkage services to match patient records across health systems

Each service proposal is developed on a case by case basis.

HOW TO REQUEST DATA SERVICES

Please complete a Data Request Form and submit it through our online submission portal. A REACHnet representative will respond to your request within five business days.

Here is a brief overview of our process for a data request:

1. Review: We will review your data request and contact you with any questions or clarifications.
2. Site engagement: We will engage REACHnet’s partner health systems to request their participation in your project. They may identify a co-investigator to work with your study team.
3. Proposal and contracting: We will develop a proposal outlining the scope of work and fee for our services. If you accept the proposal, we will provide you with a service contract to be signed by your institution.
4. Regulatory: We will develop a Data Sharing and Use Agreement (DSUA) that outlines the specifications of the dataset to be provided and the terms for data use. We will coordinate with you and participating sites to fulfill IRB requirements.
5. Data transfer: A REACHnet analyst will create the dataset for your project and coordinate with you for secure delivery.
6. Invoice: Following your receipt of the data, REACHnet will invoice your institution for payment.
7. Investigator engagement: It is an expectation of REACHnet that researchers engage co-investigators from our partner health systems throughout the research process and offer the opportunity to co-author manuscripts and conference abstracts. The research team is expected to maintain regular contact with partners for the duration of the project. It is the responsibility of the study PI to coordinate with co-investigators from the participating health systems to fulfill ongoing IRB requirements.

Please review our Researcher Guidance for the detailed process to partner with REACHnet on observational research.