Table 1.

Critical Database Features

Feature	Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap)
Turn-around time	Database development time dependent on amount of information to collect and amount of branching logic necessary; single form creation and set up time <30 minutes in most cases
Ease of use	User-friendly interface for both design and data entry
Flexibility	Completely user-defined database, within calculation and logical limits of program
Speed	Fast; dependent on server and amount of branching logic on page
Availability	Supported by the NC TraCS Institute19 at UNC-Chapel Hill
Ease of customization	All fields and logic user-defined; specific special fields/calculations available; user interface standard
Data entry & data validation options	Branching logic hides fields that should be blank; specifications for data format/type; set ranges for date and numeric fields; double data entry options; definition of “required” fields
Linkage to other databases in health care system	Currently, no linkage is available
Querying	User-defined queries at both form- and field-level available; options to remove identifiers and shift date; real-time results
Data importing and exporting	Available for use with Excel, SAS, STATA, SPSS, and R statistical software packages
Security	Compliant with UNC data security and HIPAA requirements
User access rights	Can be defined for individuals or sites to prevent unauthorized viewing and editing of data
Additional features	Scheduling; option for multiple arms; option for longitudinal structure; file dropbox; integrated survey tool; data imports

NC TraCS: North Carolina Translational & Clinical Sciences Institute

UNC: University of North Carolina

HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act