TASKA: A modular task management system to support health research studies

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Clinical Research Management
• Software Engineering

Background:

• Healthcare databases are valuable for research but often face restricted access due to governance rules.
• Managing complex health research studies with multiple participants and roles presents significant process management challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a task/workflow management system (TASKA) to address socio-technical issues in multidisciplinary and multi-setting clinical studies.
• To facilitate the secondary use of healthcare data for research purposes.

Main Methods:

• Developed TASKA, a system with a micro-kernel backend engine for extensibility and RESTful web services.
• Utilized a ReactJS-based client for a graphical interface to construct and manage studies.
• Designed TASKA as a GNU GPL open-source project.

Main Results:

• TASKA simplifies the setup of health studies, participant management, and role allocation.
• The system effectively manages the overall governance process in clinical research.
• TASKA is currently supporting feasibility studies across multiple institutions and countries within the European Medical Information Framework (EMIF) project.

Conclusions:

• TASKA successfully addresses the complexities of managing multidisciplinary health research.
• The system enhances the efficiency and governance of clinical study setup and execution.
• TASKA is a valuable open-source tool for advancing health research through improved data management and collaboration.