N3C COVID-19 Data Analytics Platform Now Available

The National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) Data Enclave, funded by NCATS of the NIH, is now open to scientists looking for evidence-based answers to COVID-19 research questions.

CCTSI Informatics Director Tell Bennett, MD, MS is playing a leadership role with N3C as Co-lead of the Clinical Scenarios and Analytics team. CU has already signed a data use agreement with the N3C that will ensure researchers may access the data with relative ease.

This centralized and secure national data analytics platform is for COVID-19 research only, including studying potential risk factors, protective factors and long-term health consequences. As the pandemic continues to evolve, its data and analytics capabilities will grow over time. The data will be obtained from dozens to hundreds of hospitals across the country, providing the largest database of COVID-19 affected patients in the nation.

The key metrics reflected in the infographic above are current as of 9/2/20.

The N3C harnesses the extensive resources of the NCATS-funded Clinical and Translational Sciences Awards (CTSA) Program and its Center for Data to Health (CD2H), with overall stewardship from NCATS. The N3C systematically collects data derived from the electronic health records of people who were tested for the novel coronavirus or who have had related symptoms.

N3C data are provided by CTSA hub partners, including both UCHealth and Children’s Hospital Colorado, and other collaborating sites after executing a Data Transfer Agreement with NCATS.

Robust in scale and scope, the N3C data will be harmonized and then managed in a way that maintains the data’s validity while protecting patient privacy. This harmonized approach may accelerate answers to key research questions and serve as a model for addressing future public health emergencies.

To access the data, researchers must meet a number of requirements and submit a Data Use Request for review by the N3C Data Access Committee. In addition, researchers requesting access to, or working within, the enclave are encouraged to assemble collaborative teams with diverse expertise in such areas as clinical research, statistical analysis and informatics to make the best use of the N3C Data Enclave.

The N3C Data Enclave contains commonly used statistical and machine learning software based in R, Python, and SQL. No EHR data can leave the Enclave, so all analyses are conducted there. Investigators will be able to export results of analyses (figures, tables, etc.) with third party review.

Learn more about the N3C data enclave. Also, you may sign up for “Office Hours” that are being held every Tues and Thurs at 10-11 MT. For questions about CU Anschutz participation in the N3C, please contact Meg Rebull.