Pilot project paves the way for smarter support for eCRF and data collection

The pilot project was aimed at researchers who were in the early stages of planning their studies and needed support in building structured and well-designed eCRFs. Nine studies participated and were offered ten hours of practical assistance from a REDCap administrator and ten hours with a statistician who reviewed the forms based on the study hypotheses. The ambition was to combine technical and methodological support to strengthen data quality in the long term.

All participating studies took advantage of the REDCap support, averaging six hours per study. Researchers described the initiative as very valuable and highlighted that it saved time, clarified key settings, and made it easier to understand how the structure of the forms affects the analysis work later on. Two studies also had their eCRFs reviewed by a statistician. This review helped them formulate clearer questions, select relevant variables, and ensure that the data collection corresponded to the study's objectives.

Lessons learned about pace and needs

An important insight from the project was that studies develop at different paces. Several projects did not reach the stage where an eCRF review would have had the greatest effect, which shows that a time-bound package with parallel support is not suitable for everyone. The large REDCap user base, with several thousand active users, also means that this type of practical and comprehensive support cannot be offered on an ongoing basis in the same form as in the pilot project.

Next step: training and flexible review

At the same time, the pilot project identified three areas where targeted efforts can add significant value. The first is to outline the study flow at an early stage. Researchers who had a clear plan for participant flows and study components made much faster progress in REDCap. Therefore, CDO will develop visualizations of different types of study flows, while Clinicum will create a checklist to support the construction of eCRFs.

The second area is training. Despite good online resources, it takes time to learn a new digital tool. To strengthen researchers' basic skills, CDO is launching new REDCap workshops starting in spring 2026, with both an introductory level and a more advanced session.

The third area concerns the review of data collection forms. Researchers expressed a clear need for this type of support, but only when the study is actually ready for it. This type of eCRF review already lies within the scope of Clinicum’s existing support service and will be embedded in the existing Clinicum application process in the future. Both units are also investigating the possibility of creating recurring training courses on building eCRFs, possibly as part of CDO's new workshop series.

The pilot project thus provided both positive feedback and valuable lessons. With new checklists, visualizations, and training courses, researchers now have better conditions for making wise decisions in the early and crucial stages of the research process.