Geisinger’s Biostatistics & Research Data Core (BRDC) provides collaborative biostatistical and data management support to Geisinger investigators, physician-scientists, and clinicians and is an indispensable quantitative resource for interpreting and understanding scientific data and furthering biomedical investigations. The BRDC has many on-going projects within and outside of the Center for Health Research. There are several with the Rheumatology and Cardiology departments, Obesity Research Institute, and the Sigfried and Janet Weis Center for Research.
Overview
The BRDC offers:
- Exceptional level of analytic capabilities
- System-wide research support
- Focus on collaboration and team-centered projects
A component of Geisinger’s Center for Health Research, the BRDC provides research support for residents, fellows, and physicians throughout the Geisinger Health System as well as the investigators in the Center for Health Research, the Sigfried and Janet Weis Research Center, and the Center for Clinical Studies. Housed in the Henry Hood Center for Health Research building, the BRDC is centrally located and easily accessible to all Geisinger researchers.
BRDC personnel consist of two biostatistics investigators, two full-time MS level biostatisticians, and three statistical and database programmers. During the summer months an internship is available for a graduate student to assist in analyses and other consulting.
Areas of Expertise
The BRDC members have expertise and years of experience in several advanced areas, such as: comparative effectiveness, longitudinal data analysis, multilevel modeling, Bayesian methods, causal inference, missing data, intra/inter-rater agreement, and clinical trials. Staff also have expertise in:
- General statistical and study design consultation
- Grant preparation
- Statistical analysis and interpretation of results
- Protocol preparation assistance and evaluation
- Study design and sample size estimation
- Form and database design
- Data management
Data Resources
BRDC staff are able to extract and analyze data from many varied sources that can be used to conduct analysis for retrospective cohorts, matched case-control, longitudinal, and complex randomized study designs. A primary source of clinical data is Geisinger’s Clinical Decision Intelligence System (CDIS), an enterprise-wide warehouse where data is stored at the most granular level to allow for unlimited reporting and analysis. The CDIS consists of:
- Geisinger Electronic Health Records, including digital information on more than three million Geisinger patients dating back to 2004
- Insurance claims
- Billing information
- Patient safety
- Pathology/Laboratory
- Patient satisfaction
A research version is currently under development. The research version will be a shadow copy of the primary data warehouse and will reside on a separate server. This version is designed to separate research needs from primary clinical needs. To comply with internal policy and the Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the BRDC will be designated as a data broker. The data broker designation allows direct access to clinical data by the BRDC, using standard statistical software, and will greatly enhance and expedite the research process timeline. A key component of the broker function is the linkage of biological specimens to longitudinal clinical data.
For More Information, Please Contact
Biostatistics & Research Data Core
Geisinger Center for Health Research
Geisinger Health System
100 North Academy Avenue
Danville, PA 17822
Phone 570-214-9825
Fax 570-214-5170
biostatistics@geisinger.edu
