REDCap resources
The WA Department of Health now preferentially supports REDCap use and many health service providers are switching to REDCap as the database of choice for safely entering, storing and reporting on data.
The Research Education Program, with support from our colleagues at Department of Health Data Library and The Kids Research Institute Australia, provide a suite of Seminars, Workshops and online resources designed to inform and improve your REDCap user experience.
REDCap is a secure, web-based tool for data collection and management. It was initially developed in 2004 at Vanderbilt University in the United States for clinical research purposes. The REDCap Consortium, also founded by Vanderbilt, is a collaborative network of more than 4,000 institutions from over 130 countries that freely contribute to ongoing development of the software. REDCap is open sourced and free to use by non-profit or governmental institutions.
REDCap is used worldwide by over 1.3 million users, particularly in the academic research community and informatics teams. In Western Australia, REDCap is currently used by the University of Western Australia (UWA), Curtin University, The Kids Research Institute Australia and Western Australian Health Translation Network (WAHTN). Additionally, REDCap is currently used by WA Health employees on independent internal (behind firewall) instances within the South Metropolitan Health Service (SMHS) and North Metropolitan Health Service (NMHS).
Key features
- Simple, powerful interface for building surveys, forms and databases
- Free to use by all WA Health employees
- Secure and web-based – integrated into WA Health Active Directory with two-factor authentication
- Only requires internet access – users do not need to download software
- Project owner control of user permissions
- Easy to send surveys/forms and track responses
- Full Audit trails of data access, entry and revision
- Advanced features such as calculated fields, branching logic, file uploading and data piping
- API (Application Programming Interface) – automated integration into applications such as PowerBI
- Export data into analysis packages e.g. Microsoft Excel, R, SAS, STATA and SPSS
- Ad hoc reporting tools
- Download forms and surveys as PDFs
- Free and established online training resources.
Advantages for WA Health
- quality and compliance of data collections
- processes and procedures in Safety and Quality initiatives
- quality and compliance of research projects
- streamlining and digitisation of paper-based processes
- collaboration and sharing of data
- automated capture of Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs).
Some other benefits include:
- compliance with the Information Management Policy Framework.
- delivers on Sustainable Health Review recommendations surrounding investment in digital healthcare, using data wisely and innovation for sustainability
- alignment with the 2020-2030 WA Health Digital Strategy.
We've broken down our most popular recorded REDCap Basics workshop into bite-sized videos that focus on the essentials, just to get you started. From logging in to building your first project, this series of mini vids is intended to familiarise new or novice users with REDCap.
Duration 4:19
Duration 3:15
Duration 1:19
Duration 9:50
Duration 4:27
Duration 3:13
Duration 2:07
Duration 2:57
Click on each access link and complete a simple REDCap form to be granted access to both the recording and accompanying handout for your chosen topic.
Handout documents include a copy of the presentation slides for your own personal use. We ask that you do not distribute them widely, but rather share the access link when sharing or forwarding these resources.
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Presented by REP Fellow: Dr Giulia Peacock This workshop offers an introduction to building databases in REDCap and covers basic concepts and best practices to equip researchers in building a database for their research project. Workshop duration: 1:16:24 | Recorded on 27th February 2024 | Access link |
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REDCap Intermediate Walkthrough 2024 - Beyond the Basics Presented by REP Fellow: Dr Giulia Peacock This level offers a more comprehensive look at creating a database and using surveys, and builds upon the topics in the REDCap Basics Workshop. This workshop is most beneficial to those who have identified an upcoming need for the REDCap's advanced functionality. Workshop duration: 1:08:33 | Recorded on 12th March 2024 | Access link |
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Advanced REDCap - Creating Surveys 2024 Presented by REP Fellow: Dr Giulia Peacock
This workshop explores a more in-depth look at advanced features in REDCap and how to design and distribute a survey through REDCap.
Workshop duration: 57:31 | Recorded on 30th April 2024 | Access link |
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Presented by REP Fellow: Dr Jane Mugure Githae This workshop offers an introduction to building databases in REDCap and covers basic concepts and best practices to equip researchers in building a database for their research project. Workshop duration: 1:32:16 | Recorded on 1st August 2023 | Access link |
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REDCap Intermediate Walkthrough 2023 Presented by REP Fellow: Dr Jane Mugure Githae This level offers a more comprehensive look at creating a database and builds upon the topics in Workshop 1, enabling attendees to utilise the advanced functionality that REDCap offers. Workshop duration: 1:34:38| Recorded on 29th August 2023 | Access link |
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Advanced REDCap - Creating Surveys 2023 Presented by REP Fellow: Dr Jane Mugure Githae This workshop explores a more in-depth look at advanced features in REDCap and how to design and distribute a survey through REDCap. Workshop duration: 1:48:37 | Recorded on 27th June 2023 | Access link |
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Using REDCap for Data Capture and Management This presentation covers how to access REDCap, basic functionality and where to go for further assistance and resources. Seminar duration: 59:29 | Recorded on 5th May 2023 | Access link |
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A guided walkthrough of REDCap to build familiarity with the layout and processes involved in setting up a project. Workshop duration: 29:28 | Access link |
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Explore REDCap surveys including design, set-up and distribution. Targeted to those familiar with logging in and setting up a project. Workshop duration: 28:53 | Access link |
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This workshop is most useful to anyone building a new project, or those tasked with managing or maintaining an existing database. Workshop duration: 1:37:50 | Access link |
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This workshop offers a comprehensive look at creating a database, using surveys, and builds upon contents from the Basics Workshop. Users should be familiar with navigating and using REDCap for best use of this resource. Workshop duration: 1:37:23 | Access link |
The Department of Health WA also provide access for researchers and clinicians to their own instance of REDCap.
To set up an account or to find out more visit the Department of Health Hub Support Page for REDCap.
The support page includes links to other documents such as a “How To” guide and “Project Migration” guide.
Enquiries
For general enquiries please email DataLibrary@health.wa.gov.au.
Useful links
Resources
- REDCap how-to guide (PDF 1Mb)
- REDCap FAQs (PDF 280kb)
- REDCap project migration guide (PDF 321kb)
- REDCap Project Migration guide "Touchstone Project" CAMHS - an example of a working migration project (PDF 828kb)
The Touchstone project guide provides an overview of the process undertaken by Touchstone to transition all research to REDCap. This included the transfer of all paper-based data collection instruments to the online version on REDCap, and the migration of all archived data stored on MS Excel to REDCap. This document highlights key lessons learnt for the purpose of providing additional information to support other services who may be migrating to REDCap.
Other training outside of CAHS
When you login to REDCap, there are Help and FAQ and Training Videos tabs at the top of the screen. Help & Information is also available on the bottom left of the screen when you enter projects.
Vanderbilt has developed a free online training course on clinical data management though Coursera. REDCap is used for the applied parts of the course.
Having such a large global user-base, there is a range of REDCap resources available online. Many institutions have prepared user guides that provide step-by-step instruction for the most commonly used features of REDCap.
REDCap is a self-use system and email-support is not available for users of the The Kids instance, unless your query relates to either:
- an account/permission related issue
- a request to engage in consultation
Online resources
There are substantial resources online to help researchers troubleshoot issues and/or upskill in REDCap.
These include:
- a number of video tutorials within the application to provide additional insight into its functionality (located on the top menu bar of the REDCap home page or on the left hand menu under ‘Help and Information’ ); and
- the REDCap Help & FAQ page (Under ‘Help and Information’ at the bottom of the left hand menu).
Data management support
Further information can be found on the home page of the The Kids instance of REDCap.
The Research Education Program (REP) in collaboration with The Kids Reseach Institute Australia present a finite number of workshops throughout the year to walk participants through the basic functionalities and provide initial support for project set-up and maintenance.
For a detailed schedule, download a copy of our 2024 REDCap Workshop Schedule or visit the CAHS REDCap page on HealthPoint (WA Health staff only).
All REDCap Workshops are held at the Perth Children's Hospital, in The Kids Seminar Room, level 5 (west). In-person sessions only.
2024
| Topic | Workshop Date | Registration link |
| Basic Walkthrough | Tuesday 16 July 2024 | WATCH the recording |
| Intermediate Walkthrough | Tuesday 20 August 2024 | WATCH the recording |
| Advanced REDCap and Creating Surveys | Tuesday 10 September 2024 | WATCH the recording |
2023
Our 2023 recorded REDCap Workshop sessions are available to watch and work along at your own pace.
| Topic | Recording Date | Access video link |
| Basic Wakthrough |
1 August 2023 | WATCH the recording |
| Intermediate Walkthough | 29 August 2023 | WATCH the recording |
| Advanced REDCap and Creating Surveys | 27 June 2023 | WATCH the recording |
Who can attend the in-person workshops
Attendance is open to all WA Health and The Kids staff.
Recorded training - open access
Our older Basic Walkthrough and Creating Surveys recorded workshops from 2021, presented by Dr David Foley are also available to follow-along at your own pace. Support material is also available to download from these links once a short access form is completed.
Alternatively, you may wish to watch our popular Research Skills Seminar entitled Using REDCap for Data Capture and Management (2023) for a succinct, 1-hour overview of its abilities and how it can protect and store your valuable research data.
Register for the next Data Collection and Management (using REDCap) presentation on 6 December 2024.