An Electronic Data Capture Tool for Data Collection During Public Health Emergencies: Development and Usability Study

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Clinical Research Technology
• Public Health Preparedness

Background:

• The Discovery Critical Care Research Network Program for Resilience and Emergency Preparedness (Discovery PREP) addressed multisite data collection challenges during public health emergencies (PHE).
• An electronic data capture tool was designed and implemented with a third-party vendor to gather usability data from clinicians during health system stress and influenza studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe lessons learned in designing and implementing a novel electronic data capture tool.
• To enhance the nation's capability for real-time data collection and analysis during PHEs.

Main Methods:

• A multiyear, multiphase design approach was employed for the electronic data capture tool.
• Usability was assessed using the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire and semistructured interviews.
• Feasibility of automating data capture from electronic health records was retrospectively evaluated.

Main Results:

• The tool featured an intuitive interface, automating study communication for efficient multisite management.
• The system achieved a high usability score (SUS: 82.5/100).
• Automation of 61% of variables was feasible; 6 key design requirements for multisite data collection were identified.

Conclusions:

• The cloud-based electronic data capture tool proved feasible for multisite clinical studies.
• Lessons learned can improve global multisite data collection during pandemics like COVID-19.
• The tool transforms manual data abstraction into reliable, real-time, automated information exchange.