Table 2.

Challenges of key data management platforms previously used in KEMRI Wellcome Trust and factors necessitating transition to a different CDM solution

Alternate Solutions Used and Challenges Leading Up to REDCap Selection
MS Access	Double data entry of paper forms was cumbersome. It did not provide an opportunity to correct possible mistakes in the forms.
	Inability to create tools with more than 255 fields.
	Software is commercial: increased project costs due licenses for each study machine.
	Cumbersome to update data collection tool. Requires re-design the data collection tool from scratch.
	Ms Access at the time did not allow for a multi user interface to be created. Thus for several data entry clerks, each had to have access to local a dedicated copy of the database.
	Use of Ms Access required one to have simple database management skills.
In-house open source solution (Zend Framework based)	Manual data transfer and extraction for analysis in a multi-site environment.
	Updating the data collection tool still required personnel with specialized skills.
	Changes to the structure of the project required reprogramming of the PHP solution creating a lag in implementing updates within the required time frame.
OpenClinica 3.0 Community Edition	Initial tool development process was complicated.
	Training data clerks on how to use OpenClinica was a challenge.
	Lack of system upgrades, data entry rule designer feature, a data mart (OpenClinica’s feature: allows export of clinical data in a readily accessible flat file for reporting and analysis), system patches, support for automated validation and data quality management for community edition.
	Clinical trials oriented: may not be a good fit for observational studies.

REDCap = Research Electronic Data Capture.