Requests for Analytic Data

Step 1: Prepare your data request

Timeline: 1-2 weeks
First, download and complete a draft of the
NC Hospital Discharge Data Request Form. Submit this draft form here.

➡

The Sheps IT Research Engagement team will reach out to schedule a consultation to discuss your project’s aims, budget, and timeline.

➡

Download the remaining forms and DUAs required for your request and complete them.

➡

Once you’ve collected all the required forms and signatures, submit all documents to the Sheps IT Research Engagement team for their review.

Forms and DUAs required for all NC Hospital Discharge Data Requests

Required for UNC-Chapel Hill Researchers

Required for External Researchers

Step 2: Submit your request for approval (UNC Researchers)

For UNC Researchers

Timeline: 1-2 weeks
Your request will first be reviewed by a UNC Oversight Committee. This committee may request additions/revisions to your request prior to final approval.

➡

Your request will be provisionally approved pending receipt of details on project funding (i.e., CFS) by the Sheps IT Research Engagement team.

For non-UNC Researchers

Timeline: 1-2 months
Your request will first be reviewed by a UNC Oversight Committee. This committee may request additions/revisions to your request prior to final approval.

➡

Once approved by the UNC Oversight, your DUA will be submitted to the UNC Office of Sponsored Programs. A representative from that office will contact you to finalize the details of the DUA. Once your DUA is approved, you’ll be all set to receive the data!

NC Hospital Discharge Oversight Committe Evaluation Criteria:

  1. Is the research question one that is in keeping with the overall focus of the Initiative and important to be answered, for North Carolinians or the US health system as a whole, either from a policy or practice perspective?
  2. Can the research question be adequately answered using the requested database? Are there an adequate number of cases to be studied for the proposed analysis? Are the right data elements available and specified? For the key data elements needed, is the quality of the data adequate?
  3. Is the proposed methodology sound and viable with respect to the research questions, population and data requested?
  4. Does the research team possess the requisite skills/experience and proposed resources to conduct the research with high standards and in an adequately specified time frame?

Step 3: Get your data!

For UNC Researchers

Timeline: 1-2 weeks
The Sheps IT Research Engagement team will reach out to you once your project is approved to introduce you to your assigned Sheps programmer(s).

➡

Sheps programmers will begin extracting your project-specific analytic dataset from the master data. Data prep time depends on the capacity and complexity of the request.

➡

If you aren’t already accessing Sheps servers, you will need to sign Sheps’ user agreements here and familiarize yourself with using the Sheps Research Computing Cluster.

➡

Our programmers will work with you to ensure that the data extract meets your specifications.

Happy researching!

For non-UNC Researchers

Timeline: 2-4 weeks
The Sheps IT Research Engagement team will reach out to you once your project is approved to introduce you to your assigned Sheps programmer(s).

➡

Sheps programmers will begin extracting your project-specific analytic dataset from the master data. Data prep time depends on the capacity and complexity of the request.

➡

Our programmers will work with you to ensure that the data extract meets your specifications.

➡

Once the extract is ready, a Sheps system administrator will create an SFTP folder to transfer you your data.

Happy researching!.

More questions?

Check out our FAQs or contact us anytime at ccqi@schsr.unc.edu.