PL

Data Bus

StartSupporting structuresData Bus

Data Bus

An optimisation programme for cooperation between the Medical University of Gdańsk and the University Clinical Centre to enable efficient use of medical data during research project implementation.


One of the key resources essential in all fields of activity at the Medical University of Gdańsk is clinical data. These are used in scientific research, teaching, clinical trials, and other tasks facilitating medical development. Currently, the process of acquiring clinical data is complex, time-consuming, demands a long realisation period, and requires the involvement of IT specialists as well as research and teaching staff from the university, along with administrative personnel from the clinics. This situation results from the lack of effective IT tools supporting data extraction from clinical IT systems, their anonymisation, and sharing.

Thanks to close collaboration between the MUG and the UCC, there is a mutual exchange of knowledge and experience. Both entities are guided by shared social values and share the benefits arising from cooperation. The development of an IT system enabling automated acquisition of large volumes of data across a broad thematic range is a joint undertaking by the MUG and the UCC. The Data Bus project is implemented within the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” Programme.

The project scope includes obtaining clinical data provided electronically from UCK IT systems, transforming it into an anonymised form (eliminating personal data according to current GDPR regulations), cleaning various types of errors, formatting, and making the data available to the MUG researchers in a format suitable for their research projects.

Compared to the current state, the Data Bus will provide:

  • improved quality of clinical data available to researchers;
  • a wider range of structured clinical data and imaging data;
  • faster access to clinical data while eliminating the need for IT specialists’ involvement;
  • enhanced security of shared data, mainly by preventing unauthorized access and data leakage outside the MUG.


SD_stockvault.jpg


A significant element of the project is the digitisation of the consent process for conducting research projects and applying for clinical data from the UCC. This will allow building a comprehensive database of ongoing research projects, researchers involved, and the scope of clinical data shared for project needs. The process of obtaining consent and applying for clinical data can be monitored and will become more efficient through automation.

The programme leader for activities involving the acquisition and processing of clinical data for scientific research is Wojciech Kiedrowski. The implementation team includes Dr hab. Tomasz Stokowy from the University of Bergen, as well as Mariusz Budzisz and Dariusz Szplit representing the University Clinical Centre. Scientific consultants comprise Anna Supernat, Ph.D.; Natalia Filipowicz, Ph.D. and Maciej Bobowicz, Ph.D..

The first phase of the Data Bus project is underway, which will result in a prototype enabling automatic acquisition of structured data from the Clininet clinical system. The prototype solution will allow data acquisition within a limited scope. Subsequent development versions will expand this scope according to the current data needs of the MUG researchers. Thus, the Data Bus system development will be incremental.

An automated process for applying for consent to conduct research projects will also be launched as a result of digitisation, including the application for clinical data. The electronic document circulation and workflow solution is implemented based on the WEBCON system.

The completion of the first development phase of the system is expected at the turn of June and July 2022.


CONTACT

Wojciech Kiedrowski
Phone: 58 349 17 12
wojciech.kiedrowski@gumed.edu.pl