Developing a Suite of Electronic Data Capture Applications Based on an Open-Source Instrument Definition Standard

At the present moment, multiple research groups are configuring either identical or very similar forms for use in different electronic data capture (EDC) systems, resulting in wasted time, lack of consistency across projects and inefficiency. Ideally these various groups should be able to download form configuration tools from an open library of instrument definitions and reuse them in any common EDC application.

This problem and vision for the future led us to develop an open-source, portable research instrument standard for mental health (PRISMH). We tested PRISMH with two of our own EDC applications and had positive results. We are now proceeding with developing translators to/from REDCap and to Qualtrics.

If you want to develop translators to/from your favorite EDC app, join us! An open-source, revision-controlled instrument-definition library, based on a portable open standard, will save resources and will enable better data sharing and interoperability across research programs and institutions.