Platforms and Tools | Informatics, Data Science & Biostatistics | Washington University in St. Louis

Platforms and Tools | Informatics, Data Science & Biostatistics | Washington University in St. Louis
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Informatics Core Service (ICS) has several tools that allow you to identify, access, manage, and analyze your data. The majority of these tools are free to access and have additional services available for a fee. See the
ICS Tools Overview Table
below for a quick overview and the
Service Request Form/Quick Links
for information about services available for each.
Platforms and Tools Overview
Platforms and Tools
Request Account
Support Documentation/ Training Resources
Request Support
Data Lake
Data Lake Account Request
Data Lake Login
Data Lake Guides
Join Data Lake Open Office Monday’s at 1 pm CT
Data Lake Support Requests
Data Lake Teams Group
ENACT
ENACT Account Request
ENACT Network Login
ENACT Training Resources
i2help@wustl.edu
MDClone
MDClone Account Request
MDClone Login
MDClone Academy
Katherine Jean
REDCap
REDCap Account Request
WashU REDCap Login
WashU REDCap Documentation
Submit a REDCap Ticket
Slicer Dicer
Epic Account Request
Path to Epic Access
Epic1 Training
EpicProgram@bjc.org
TriNetX
TriNetX Account Request
TriNetX Login
TriNetX Training Center
i2help@wustl.edu
+Receive access to MDClone Academy upon getting access to WashU MDClone
Feasibility Counts
Feasibility counts are useful at the beginning of a study to determine if you will be able to meet your recruitment goals or access dataset from a cohort large enough to power your statistical analyses. The tools in this section allow you to query EHR data to determine if patient populations for your project exist at WashU and, in some cases, other participating sites. Many of these tools are self-service, can be accessed by completing the access surveys below, and can be used at your convenience for identifying patient cohorts of interest.
MDClone
MDClone
is a self-service web application that enables users to query WashU Electronic Health Record (EHR) data and generate synthetic datasets derived from actual patient records. Since synthetic data are not classified as human participant data, these datasets may be accessed without prior Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, providing users with convenient, on-demand interaction with EHR data in a secure environment.
Washington University maintains a dedicated MDClone instance that supports query development and execution within an MDClone Data Lake. This data lake contains patient visit records from Epic dating back to the August 2018 implementation, as well as historical data from legacy EHR systems across BJC-WashU network facilities, including Cerner (formerly Kiddos) and other platforms. Legacy database records extend back to 1997, providing comprehensive longitudinal coverage.
Upon account creation, WashU users receive access to
MDClone Academy,
which offers structured training modules, user guides, frequently asked questions, and comprehensive documentation to support query development and platform utilization.
More information:
MDClone
Request account:
WashU MDClone Account Request
Login after access is obtained:
MDClone Login
TriNetX
TriNetX
is a global health research network that aggregates EHR data from participating institutions worldwide. The platform enables users to conduct feasibility analyses to assess patient population sizes at WashU and across other network sites. TriNetX provides a third-party web-based application accessible at
live.trinetx.com
, featuring intuitive point-and-click functionality for constructing queries based on patient characteristics and specified date ranges.
WashU contributes to the TriNetX network through monthly updates of an extracted, transformed, and formatted EHR dataset derived from the institution’s Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) database. Additional participating sites similarly contribute their institutional data to the network.
The TriNetX web application operates exclusively with de-identified data, utilizing OMOP patient identifiers without access to protected health information (PHI). Furthermore, the export of patient identifiers is subject to strict governance controls and may only be requested by investigators who have obtained valid IRB approval and an approved project authorization.
More information:
TriNetX Project page
and
TriNetX’s Training Center
Request account:
WashU TriNetX Account Request
Login after access is obtained:
TriNetX Login
ENACT
The
ENACT Network
is a self-service platform that enables researchers to query EHR data from WashU and participating institutions. The platform’s primary function is to support feasibility assessments for clinical studies by identifying patient populations with specific characteristics across network sites. For instance, a WashU researcher can construct queries to determine the number of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes during 2019 and 2020 at Washington University and collaborating institutions such as the University of Pittsburgh and University of California San Diego. Access to ENACT for feasibility purposes is provided at no cost to all WashU researchers with an active WashU Key.
The platform’s secondary function supports direct data extraction for research analysis; however, this capability requires coordination with Platform Engineering rather than self-service access. While researchers can independently determine aggregate patient counts—such as the total number of individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2019 and 2020—extraction of granular clinical data (e.g., hemoglobin A1c values) necessitates Platform Engineering support and is subject to associated fees.*
More Information:
ENACT Project Web Page
Request account:
WashU ENACT Account Request
Login after access is obtained:
ENACT Network Log In
The ENACT Network operates under IRB approval from each member institution and maintains full compliance with applicable regulations, including HIPAA. Researchers may query patient data across participating sites, encompassing demographics, diagnoses, laboratory results, and medication records.
ENACT was developed through a collaborative effort among members of the NCATS Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) consortium, with funding provided by the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.
GPC Informatics for Integrating Biology and Bedside (i2b2)
Informatics for Integrating Biology and Bedside (i2b2)
is a self-service and user-friendly tool that leverage existing data for cohort identification, retrospective data analysis, feasibility study and hypothesis generation.
Researchers can query de-identified CDM data from GPC sites using the GPC i2b2 tool. Apart from just numbers you can also visualize with demographic, medications and diagnosis breakdowns and compare two population sets.
GPC i2b2 is available to qualified faculty member from GPC institutions. Affiliate investigators, which can include staff, students, residents, fellow, and postdocs, can gain access with qualified faculty member sponsorship.
More information:
GPC I2B2
Request access:
GPC DROC Oversight Request
Login:
i2b2 Login
Data Broker Feasibility Query
For projects that need to determine the size of a potential cohort where other free-to-use tools (SlicerDicer, MDClone) are not an option, the Data Brokerage group can develop a custom query to determine how many patients in Epic fit specific criteria. This service includes:
The first hour of effort is free.
Any work beyond one hour is charged to the client at a rate of $200 per hour.
When submitting a feasibility request, knowing your specific criteria beforehand saves time.
Adding or adjusting criteria quickly takes away from the initial one hour.
Results will include a total count of patients who fit your criteria.
Counts can be grouped by category (gender, race, diagnosis, and more).
Submit a request
To submit a request for a feasibility query, follow these steps:
Complete the
Data Broker Feasibility Request
In the second section, select ‘Feasibility Count Request’.
Fill out the remainder of the form.
Click Submit.
Data Access
WashU Data Lake
The WashU Data Lake is a robust data management solution built on Azure Databricks. It is a central repository for storing all types of data at any scale, which researchers can access and analyze to gain insights into health trends, disease patterns, and treatment outcomes in medical research. It enables raw data storage without pre-structuring, making it a flexible and scalable platform for researchers to analyze large volumes of data and discover new patterns and correlations.
The Data Lake houses Research Data Core (RDC) data and combines data from different sources. It pulls data from our Electronic Medical Record system (Epic/Clarity), Legacy systems, Vendor-Neutral Archives, and research databases(REDcap). Data is added over time as our research data requirements and community grow.
Request account:
WashU Data Lake Account Request
The Data Lake provides a secure and safe environment for researchers and health professionals to query, analyze, and store their data. It also offers several tools to allow users to explore, view, share, and discover new ways of learning and discovery.
Data Collection
REDCap
REDCap is a secure, web-based application designed for building and managing online surveys and databases. The platform is used by thousands of universities, hospitals, and research organizations globally. Additional information is available at
REDCap (projectredcap.org
). REDCap’s intuitive point-and-click interface enables the development of complex workflows without requiring coding expertise or web development experience.
WashU REDCap
is available at no cost to anyone with an active WashU Key. The institutional REDCap instance operates as a self-service platform, allowing users to access, build, and manage projects independently. A robust library of user support documentation (
WashU REDCap Self-Service Support
) has been developed, encompassing user guides, frequently asked questions, training materials, and additional support resources. Free basic support is provided to all users, with additional fee-for-service options available. The WashU REDCap overview
video
and
slides
provide instructions on accessing these resources.
More Information:
WashU REDCap
Request Account:
WashU REDCap Account Request
Login:
WashU REDCap Login
Epic Research
Recruitment and Reporting Tools
MyChart Recruitment
MyChart recruitment is a feature in Epic that helps researchers identify patients who may be a good fit for a study and then sends an invitation with details.
Slicer Dicer and Reporting Workbench
Slicer Dicer –
Epic has a feasibility query tool that is useful for preparing your grant and gathering metrics on our cohort.
Reporting Workbench (RWB) –
Epic has an advanced query tool to help investigators track their studies in Epic and/or Recruitment.
More information:
Research Tools Available in Epic
ICS Home Page
Platforms and Tools | Informatics, Data Science & Biostatistics | Washington University in St. Louis
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