Web-based multi-center data management system for clinical neuroscience research

Modern clinical research often involves multicenter studies, large and heterogeneous data flux, and intensive demands of collaboration, security and quality assurance. In the absence of commercial or academic management systems, we designed an open-source system to meet these requirements. Based on the Apache-PHP-MySQL platform on a Linux server, the system allows multiple users to access the database from any location on the internet using a web browser, and requires no specialized computer skills. Multi-level security system is implemented to safeguard the protected health information and allow partial or full access to the data by individual or class privilege. The system stores and manipulates various types of data including images, scanned documents, laboratory data and clinical ratings. Built-in functionality allows for various search, quality control, analytic data operations, visit scheduling and visit reminders. This approach offers a solution to a growing need for management of large multi-center clinical studies.