Quantitative Data and Research Methods

Quantitative Data and Research Methods

Quantitative Data and Research Methods CTSI biostatisticians, epidemiologists, and informaticians can engage with clinical investigators on study design, analysis methods and methods development, database design, and participant identification in the electronic health record.

Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design (BERD)

About Us

The Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design (BERD) Resource supports researchers across NYU Langone Health and NYC Health + Hospitals through the Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

What We Do

Our team engages with clinical and translational researchers on:

• Study design and methodology
  • Choosing appropriate and efficient study designs
  • Defining outcomes, exposures, and covariates
• Data analysis and interpretation
  • Statistical modeling and analysis planning
  • Interpretation of results in a clinical and translational context
• Education and training in research methods
• Research workflow
  • Improving data collection and monitoring connected to study design
  • Guidance on best practices in analysis and reporting
  • Overview of statistical concepts and methods

Meet With Us

We work with investigators in short one-on-one meetings to assess the project’s needs, be a resource for advice and guidance, or to identify a potential longer-term collaborator.

BERD Clinic

BERD offers office hours for short sessions to discuss an analysis, project, or protocol. Sign up for asession by clicking here.

Connections for Collaboration

BERD facilitates connections between data science groups and investigators for longer term collaborative agreements with the NYU Biostatistics Resource through the Department of Population Health and Division of Biostatistics (NYUBR), or to connect investigators to the best shared Resource, including the Perlmutter Cancer Center Biostatistics Core.

Get Started

To get started, please complete our online request form by clicking here.

Resources

• Biostatistics for non-statisticians (Biostats4You)
• Trainings we have recorded (DSMB in Focus)

Bioinformatics Research Analytics – Biomedical/Clinical Research Informatics

Our data scientists and informaticians provide informational technology and informatics services in support of investigators conducting clinical research.

DataCore

DataCore is an institutional resource that provides a variety of research data services, which include querying the electronic health records of patients seen by NYU Langone healthcare providers to identify participants for research studies. Data is available on a variety of patient characteristics, including demographics, behaviors (such as smoking), vital signs, labs, procedures, medications, diagnoses, and problem lists.

Free-text documentation can also be used to identify potential study cohorts. Pattern matching approaches as well as more sophisticated natural language processing methods are available to mine free-text sources. Projects that require processing of free text generally require more substantial resource allocation to complete, including both analyst and developer time, as well as time allocated by someone from the study team to serve as a content expert who validates results generated by the technical work.

DataCore provides researchers attempting to find research participants with three types of data-related services. These include:

• general estimates of patients that meet eligibility criteria
• lists of patients to be used for recruitment purposes
• the ability to send study-related messages to patients at NYU Health via the MyChart online patient portal

No Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval is necessary for researchers to ask DataCore to provide general estimates of patients that meet specific eligibility criteria. These estimates are provided in a de-identified, aggregated format and can be used in grant applications to justify enrollment targets or for general study planning purposes.

Researchers must have IRB approval to request lists of patients with identifiable protected health information, such as contact information or information about upcoming appointments, to be used for research recruitment purposes.

Using DataCore to Message Study Participants via MyChart

Researchers must also have IRB approval to allow DataCore to provide your study team with the ability to send study-related messages to patients within Epic who have an active MyChart account. These messages allow patients the ability to respond if they are interested in potentially participating in a study. Not all studies use this functionality, and there are some policies to keep in mind when recruiting patients and sending messages. For example, study teams are not allowed to recruit a patient more than twice within the same month. Any study-related messages sent to patients via MyChart must undergo IRB review and approval.

Using Slicer Dicer to Identify Participants

In addition to DataCore’s three services, Slicer Dicer is a self-service cohort exploration tool embedded in Epic that is available to researchers. This tool allows researchers to identify patients based on criteria entered into the user interface without needing to write code. The user interface displays counts of patients that meet specified criteria and allows for these aggregate counts to be displayed in several ways.

If IRB approval is obtained, researchers can also use Slicer Dicer to identify a cohort of interest and request the list of patients with contact information to be used for trial recruitment.