DHS’s warehouse of patient medical records is a rich source of data for retrospective studies as well as for finding local participants for prospective studies.
service
Request the service
Data Retrieval from Electronic Medical Records for DHS Researchers
Price: Free
USC, CHLA and DHS research teams can use the research data warehouse for study planning (feasibility assessments, power analyses).
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (LAC DHS)
Goal:
Use Informatics-Based Research Tools and Services
Phase:
Design A Study
Phase:
Conduct A Study
Service description
How to get access
Please note that the self-service i2b2 tool at DHS is currently unavailable. To submit a research data request to the DHS Informatics and Analytics Core, please submit a ticket to helpdesk@dhs.lacounty.gov referencing “Research Request” and your IRB number in the Subject Line. For support associated with complex data requests requiring the re-identification of patient health information, more information can be found here.
Click here to view the FAQs for research data requests, tools, and other informatics services.
Benefits for users
- Sample Size Planning / Feasibility Assessment: Determine how many patients in the USC, CHLA or DHS electronic health records meet your study criteria. View distributions of patients based on gender, race, and age.
- Recruitment or Chart Screening: Work with the health system(s) to access MRN or contact information. IRB approval is required for identified data sets.
- Outcomes Research: Submit a data request for de-identified data for retrospective analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
IRB approval is required whenever a researcher is requesting information beyond aggregate patient counts or outside of *limited data sets. Please explicitly state in your IRB application and or amendment the use of i2b2 and all of the data elements requested. For example, if requesting MRN, phone and medication orders, this must be clearly stated and approved in your IRB application and or amendment.
For more information on the DHS IRB approval and Research Oversight Board categorization process, please review this document.
If you need additional clarification regarding your specific request, please email cri@usc.edu to set a time to review your scenario. Click here to view a comprehensive list of FAQs.
Need informatics help?
Submit a requestPatient Data Resources for Clinical Research
View comparison of all patient data resources here.Direct link
Click here to visit DHS websiteTooltip: Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS)
USC’s Clinical Trial Management System, OnCore, is a jointly sponsored, web-based software system for managing clinical trials.