Abstract
Description
An essential, but often not described, part of multisite research projects is the process of managing the overall project per se. The Elderly have implemented strategies and tools used across sites in order to ensure intervention fidelity, uniformness in collection of data and prevention of sites that drift away.
Implications
The Elderly Study is multi-nationally, including three universities and research center in USA, Germany and Denmark together with a lot of outpatient treatment facilities. The study aims at including 1,000 patients aged 60 and older to examine two therapies targeting seniors with alcohol problems. A lot of information, documentations, materials and agreements within and between sites are common phenomenons in the study. Therefore we are using Internet solutions as much as possible.
Document management: To avoid having to many different versions of the same manuals and documentations, we store all documents on Microsoft Sharepoint. This way all documents are instantly accessible to all relevant parties and changing any documents is easy and ensures that only the newest version is used all the time.
Data entry and database: Data is stored digitally in one common database for all treatment facilities - using REDCap. The data is directly entered into the database through the Internet using a computer or a tablet during the interviews with participants.
Monitoring and supervision of the study: Bi-weekly, all the principal investigators and project coordinators discuss all problems and questions that may rise during the study at a Skype-meeting. A similar Skype-meeting is conducted among therapists and lead supervisor to discuss therapy issues.
Discussion
By implementing Internet facilities such as Skype-meetings, Sharepoint and REDCap, we have developed a workflow that decreased the risk unintended mistakes that could bias the results of the study. Today existing Internet facilities provide instruments for conducting multi-national studies across the world.
An essential, but often not described, part of multisite research projects is the process of managing the overall project per se. The Elderly have implemented strategies and tools used across sites in order to ensure intervention fidelity, uniformness in collection of data and prevention of sites that drift away.
Implications
The Elderly Study is multi-nationally, including three universities and research center in USA, Germany and Denmark together with a lot of outpatient treatment facilities. The study aims at including 1,000 patients aged 60 and older to examine two therapies targeting seniors with alcohol problems. A lot of information, documentations, materials and agreements within and between sites are common phenomenons in the study. Therefore we are using Internet solutions as much as possible.
Document management: To avoid having to many different versions of the same manuals and documentations, we store all documents on Microsoft Sharepoint. This way all documents are instantly accessible to all relevant parties and changing any documents is easy and ensures that only the newest version is used all the time.
Data entry and database: Data is stored digitally in one common database for all treatment facilities - using REDCap. The data is directly entered into the database through the Internet using a computer or a tablet during the interviews with participants.
Monitoring and supervision of the study: Bi-weekly, all the principal investigators and project coordinators discuss all problems and questions that may rise during the study at a Skype-meeting. A similar Skype-meeting is conducted among therapists and lead supervisor to discuss therapy issues.
Discussion
By implementing Internet facilities such as Skype-meetings, Sharepoint and REDCap, we have developed a workflow that decreased the risk unintended mistakes that could bias the results of the study. Today existing Internet facilities provide instruments for conducting multi-national studies across the world.
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|---|
| Publikationsdato | 2015 |
| Status | Udgivet - 2015 |
| Begivenhed | The 13th International Conference on Treatment of Addictive Behaviors - Odense, Danmark Varighed: 31. maj 2015 → 4. jun. 2015 |
Konference
| Konference | The 13th International Conference on Treatment of Addictive Behaviors |
|---|---|
| Land/Område | Danmark |
| By | Odense |
| Periode | 31/05/2015 → 04/06/2015 |