Chunk #8 — Building and Supporting the REDCap Consortium: A Phased Approach — Phase 1: Developing REDCap at Vanderbilt University (1 site: ~ 2004–2005) — Benefits:
Although the initial development of REDCap required networking and multiple small interactions with users, it led to close ties with a local research community and permitted nimble and receptive software development that focused on accommodating dozens of local projects. This close relationship with the user base enabled us to build a resource well-grounded in the practical needs of clinical research teams and began a culture of collaboration that is the foundation of the existing REDCap community. Building “institutional buy-in” was relatively easy once the model was proven and researchers began to voluntarily adopt REDCap. Migrating to a centralized, HIPAA-compliant data collection system with comprehensive audit trails and secure user controls was recognized as a way to protect researchers, volunteers, and the institution. Empowering local research teams to create and manage their own REDCap projects reduced per-project cost and ultimately allowed Vanderbilt to provide REDCap at no cost to any student, staff, or faculty member for any research project.
