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Data Services

Parkland Office of Research Administration (ORA) is the official portal for all data requests related to research. With access to clinical data from the Electronic Health Record, Parkland’s ORA can meet your research data needs.

In this Section:

For more information, email ResearchData@phhs.org. 

Research Requirements for Data

Use and disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI) for research is permitted if:

  • The PHI is de-identified OR
  • An authorization is obtained from the individuals OR
  • An IRB or privacy board has documented an alteration or waiver of an individual authorization OR
  • The PHI is used preparatory to research OR
  • The PHI is for research on decedents OR
  • The PHI is part of a limited data set

For more information, see HIPAA & Research.

Types of Data Services

Let us manage the challenge of finding and retrieving data for you. Depending upon your research need, we can assist in the following manners:

Preliminary Data For Study Feasibility

Preliminary data may be needed when determining study feasibility and in the preparation of grant proposals.

  • Activities Preparatory to Research | HIPAA regulations allow for access to PHI for activities preparatory to research if: 1) the researcher attests that the use of the PHI is to be used solely for preparation of a research protocol and 2) no PHI may be removed by the researcher in the course of the review.
  • De-identified Data | A researcher may obtain deidentified data for study feasibility through Epic Slicer Dicer or other sources of deidentified data. Deidentified data may not contain any of the 18 identifiers (PHI) defined by HIPAA regulations. IRB approval is not required.

If you require cohort population counts (known as “de-identified” data) for study feasibility, you may access one of two ways:

  1. Epic’s SlicerDicer is a self-service reporting tool that provides clinicians with intuitive and customizable data exploration abilities to sift through large populations of patients. All data is de-identified and used to investigate a trend and assess feasibility. Access is linked to Epic User Role.
  2. Submit a  Request for De-Identified Data for Research Form via the IT Self Service Portal | HEAT Ticket System. Access with your User Name and Password.

Research Data Analytics

High-quality patient-centered research and a personalized approach are important components of Parkland’s mission to provide patients with the best care and service. Data mining is an integral part of Parkland’s ability to take advantage of its resources to enhance provider clinical quality, individualize treatment and improve financial performance. Transforming electronic health record data into new knowledge and support for medical decisions requires new technology and skills as well as additional resource allocation and organizational adjustments.

Parkland’s large volume of electronic health record data is recognized as a valuable business and research resource. Used as part of routine clinical care, Parkland’s data, which is collected from more than 1 million diverse patients, have great potential to serve as a rich resource for patient-centered research. Because the data is derived from the local population, the generated knowledge will be directly relevant to Parkland patients, subsequently providing them with outstanding medical decision support.

Research Analytics supports organizational growth for clinical research and innovation. The team provides the capacity and infrastructure to both obtain and manage data for research at Parkland; it collaborates with clinical trials, investigator-initiated research, physicians and outside organizations to leverage health data in order to answer research questions.

Our team is available to meet the clinical data needs of your research project, as well as discuss options for clinical data extraction, reporting and storage options for your research.

Submitting Your Request for Data

For IRB-approved research, the following must be submitted to the Office of Research Administration for review and approval. A complete submission packet includes the following:

  1. Performance Site Review Report*
  2. Completed  Parkland Research Data Form
  3. Final study protocol or project summary
  4. e-IRB application
  5. IRB approval letter
  6. Informed consent document, if applicable
  7. HIPAA or Waiver of Authorization, if applicable
  8. Coverage Analysis Determination | Clinical Trial Coverage Analysis [INSERT LINK], if tests or procedures are done as part of the study
  9. All applicable agreements and/or contracts must be executed

*For UTSW-affiliated studies only. Accessed via UTSW Clinical Trial Management System (Velos).

Forms

  •  Request for De-Identified Data for Research Form | This form should be completed if you are requesting research feasibility data (data counts without patient identifiers).
  •  Research Data Form | This form should be completed for any research study proposing to collect data from the Parkland electronic medical record or other data sources. Use this form to request data for an IRB approved study.