Wash U REDCap Support

Owned by Christopher Sorensen
Last updated: Oct 02, 2024
4 min read

REDCap is a self-service platform available at no-cost to the Washington University research community. The majority of projects in WashU REDCap are run by the study teams themselves. For example, the team builds, adds study team members to, maintains, and closes out the project. The Institute for Informatics Data Science & Biostatistics (I2DB) REDCap Support Team and Biostatistics provide a variety of different support services for teams using REDCap. Use the links below to jump to specific sections.

The Institute for Informatics Data Science & Biostatistics (I2DB) REDCap Support Team provides free basic support services for Washington University REDCap users. These free services are funded by I2DB, the Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS), and Siteman Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC). See Acknowledging WUSTL REDCap for full grant information. Please read the Expectations of Wash U REDCap Users statement below prior to requesting services. These free services include:

WashU REDCap Free Basic Support

  1. Creating user support materials such as FAQs, User Guides, sample language for grants and manuscripts, etc.

  2. Standard Administrator Processes

    1. Review and approve move to production requests

    2. Review, approve and provide guidance when needed for project modification requests

    3. Tasks that can only be completed by REDCap administrator

      1. e.g. Enable surveys for a project in production

      2. Note that the person requesting modifications to a project in production should have the same level rights needed to make this change if the project wasn't in production. For example, if someone requests that surveys be enabled, they should have project admin rights

  3. Responding to Support Requests submitted to the REDCap Ticketing System

    1. Project start-up consultations (1 hour)

    2. Search for existing built-in tools or applications to achieve desired REDCap functionality

    3. Demonstrate how to use built-in tools or applications

    4. Troubleshoot issues with current projects

    5. Develop workarounds for functionality where no built-in solutions exist, if able

    6. Develop complex logic**

    7. Create basic filters for reports**

Please submit a ticket to request these services.

*This includes external collaborators who have obtained a WUSTL Key with a faculty sponsor.

**If these tasks become too complex, you may be referred to Fee for Service Support.

WashU REDCap Fee for Service

The I2DB Data Brokerage team provides REDCap Database Build and Smart on FHIR (Epic Data Pull) services for a $150 per hour fee.+ If you are interested in these services, please:

  1. Complete the I2DB Central Request Form

  2. Check REDCap support (building/enhancing REDCap project)

    1. For project build, select REDCap Database build (or assistance) request

    2. For data pulls from Epic to REDCap, select REDCap Smart on FHIR request. Please note that these requests are limited to:

      1. Pulls from Epic to REDCap only

      2. Structured Epic data only (i.e., no notes, imaging, or other unstructured data)

      3. 20 fields of data or less

    3. You may select both options to have a project built with data pulled from Epic

  3. Complete the remainder of the survey

  4. Once your survey is processed, you will receive a follow-up email to schedule a free one-hour consultation to discuss the scope of the project

  5. If you choose to move forward with the project following the consultation, a Statement of Work (SOW) will be created that contains the total estimated cost (Total hours * per hour fee)

  6. If you agree to the scope and budget in the SOW, the work will be completed based on the terms defined in the SOW

REDCap Project Builds can include:

  • Creation of new REDCap projects including surveys, instruments and data access groups

  • Project setup and configuration of settings

  • Adding logic for piping, branching logic, conditional logic, etc., including for projects with multi-arm instruments (longitudinal)

  • Mapping and integration of data available through SMART on FHIR (must work with an administrator to enable)

REDCap Project Builds do NOT include:

  • Data management

  • Creating reports within a project

  • General REDCap questions (Please Submit a REDCap Ticket for these requests)

  • Restoration of deleted records/deleted projects (Please Submit a REDCap Ticket for these requests)

WashU REDCap Support from Biostatistics

Many I2DB Biostatisticians are expert REDCap users with the ability to build and manage portions or all of your REDCap project. If you would like to learn more, please see the Biostatistics Consulting Information page. To best utilize Biostatistics support in REDCap, please setup a consultation prior to submitting your grant to discuss the scope of the project and develop a budget that can be added to your grant application.

If you are using the Randomization Module, a statistician should be involved in the decision about the randomization method that is appropriate for your study and which REDCap randomization features that should and should not be implemented. See the RANDOMIZATION WARNING for more details. WashU REDCap Support does not provide services or user support related to randomization unless we are working directly with a statistician.

Expectations of WashU REDCap users

REDCap is a self-service platform where where the majority of the effort towards the project are completed by the study team unless you are paying a fee for service or FTE. It is expected that REDCap users will not request support for busy work or excessively frequently for topics for which stored support exists. There are support requests that require multiple meetings and communications over a period of time which is acceptable. For example, if we work with you to develop a data import template, we may need to meet multiple times over a month to troubleshoot. On the other hand, if you are building your first project and submit one request to ask how to make text boxes, one to ask how to make multiple choice, one for branching logic, etc., we will refer you to our REDCap Training Resources or fee for support services options.