317 Real-time insights: Automating data management in a Clinical Research Unit (CRU)

Objectives/Goals: Standardize, centralize, and automate the collection of administrative data at the Northwestern Clinical and Translational Sciences (NUCATS) Institute CRU at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Facilitate instantaneous data reporting and visualization for immediate insights across eight service lines. Methods/Study Population: The CRU offers nursing and laboratory services for clinical research studies. We have developed a comprehensive flowchart that outlines CRU workflows and data collection for all its service lines, from study enrollment to billing processes. Our goal is to pinpoint areas for improvement, focusing on minimizing manual labor and enhancing automation. To streamline operations, we implemented direct data entry into the EPIC system for all visits. Additionally, we established efficient pipelines for direct data extraction and reporting through Azure Databricks, leading to the creation of near real-time dashboards that display key metrics, which are deployed using Power BI. Results/Anticipated Results: The integration of a centralized data system has significantly enhanced workflow efficiency within the CRU. Automated reports and interactive visualizations provide near real-time insights, which greatly improve decision-making and operational transparency. By eliminating unnecessary manual data entries and establishing a centralized data repository, we achieved greater accuracy and granularity in our data management. This streamlined reporting workflows for over 2,000 visits from 250 studies annually. Overall, these enhancements enabled the CRU to operate more effectively, facilitating better resource management and improving service delivery for clinical research. Discussion/Significance of Impact: Streamlining and automating data management within the NUCATS CRU has reduced manual labor and helps ensure timely and accurate reporting. This allows us to better analyze current data and seasonal trends, which facilitates better decision-making and resource allocation.