# Presentation: 201927

##  Patient Study Calendar In Action: An Introduction for UsersA Tool Demonstration from caBIGTM 

**John Cummins and Sean Whitaker, **
**Northwestern University**
**April, 2008**

## Agenda and Goal

**Agenda and Goal**

**Overview and Introduction to Patient Study Calendar**
**Patient Study Calendar Functionality**
**Resources and Next Steps **

**Notes:**
“Today, we will open with a brief overview of the goals of caBIG, to set the stage for the rest of the presentation.  Then, we will turn quickly to introducing (name of tool) and reviewing its functionality.  Additionally, we will review some additional resources, and next steps for evaluation and selection of the right tool for your organization.”  

“The goal of this demo is to show you a caBIGTM tool that is available for adoption.  I want to emphasize though, that you have many options, and that you are not restricted to adopting a caBIGTM tool.  You can also adapt your existing tool to become caBIGTM compatible, or set up your tool to interface with this one.  If the tool we show you today isn’t right for you, we’ll point you to the right places to learn about alternative paths.”  

## Introduction to Patient Study Calendar

## How Patient Study Calendar fits into the Clinical Trials Enterprise

## How PSC Works with Other Tools within caBIG Clinical Trials Suite

## Using Patient Study Calendar: Who and Why? 

**Target Users: **Clinical research coordinators and their managers
**Core Functions / Modules:  **
- Template creation
- Schedule creation
- Schedule management
- Reporting

**Notes:**
(Note:  The previous slides were primarily big picture about how the tool fits within the landscape – now, we are getting into more concrete information about this specific tool – who would use it, and what is does.  In this slide, be specific about the types of users that would use the tool, and a thumbnail sketch about what it actually does.  How does the tool fit within a typical users’ workflow? What is the work setting in which tool use would occur?  After and before, or in support of, what activities?)

## Demonstration of Patient Study Calendar

**Notes:**
“Now, let’s take a closer look at the tool itself. “

## A Quick Preview:  Key Functions and Benefits of Patient Study Calendar 

***Adopters of PSC:***
***Northwestern University***
***Mayo Clinic***
***Thomas Jefferson University***
***With special thanks to:***
***Akaza Research***
***SHOA***
***UAMS***
***UVA***
***Virginia Hetrick***
***WFU***

**Subject Coordinator dashboard**
- View aggregated schedules per coordinator
**Subject schedule**
- Manage an individual patient’s schedule
**Study template**
- Create a template to represent activities of a study
**Reporting**
- View PSC data in many ways

## A Quick Review:  Key Functions and Benefits of Patient Study Calendar 

**Template creation ensuring consistent interpretation of protocol **
**Automatic generation of patient’s schedule **
**Easily manage changes to patient’s schedule**
**Manage coordinator workload**
**Flexible reporting **

**Clarifying Tool Boundaries.  **No tool meets all user expectations.  Here are some functions that are *outside* the scope of this tool.
- Clinical scheduling
- Eligibility
- Randomization
- Evaluation of conditions/populations

**Notes:**
“Here’s a summary of the tool’s key functions and benefits we just reviewed. .  We also want to clear on what the tool does not do that you might get questions about.  Here are some tool boundaries, to help you have an honest discussion with potential users in your organization about whether this tool is right for them. caBIG has an active development community, so if you have a specific need that the tool does not currently fill, there are forums for raising your concern to those guiding future development efforts.  With the right internal or contract staff, you could even extend the tool to meet those specific needs on your own.” 

## Getting Started: A Glance at the Technology

**Tool Platform: **PSC requires a server and a database.  End users need only a web browser (Firefox or IE7).
**Key Prerequisites: **PSC will run on any server platform. It requires a database connection (Oracle 9i or 10g, PostgreSQL 8.1 or 8.2, and now supports MS SQL Server thanks to UAMS) and a java servlet container.  Installation and initial configuration should be simple for a system administrator.
**End User Readiness:  **PSC is intended to be used by clinical research coordinators and their managers.  No special IT skills are required, but basic knowledge of study protocols and patient management is.  Users will be comfortable with PSC after a couple hours of use.

**Notes:**
(This is a BRIEF technology lay of the land, just so people understand how this works, and the possible investment/ learning curve needed to get going.) 

## Resources and Next Steps

**Notes:**
“Let’s take a look at the next steps and resources that can help you get started on the path to adopting (tool name).” 

## Adopting PSC: Release Timeline and Future Plans

**Release Information**
- Version 2.0.3, April 28, 2008
- Stable, in use at adopter site.  Active development continues.
**Development Schedule**
- Version 2.1 coming May 2008  (interface enhancements, reporting, notification system)
- Currently identifying/prioritizing new features:
- Reuse parts of the template
- Template subscription service
- Configurable reporting
- Configurable activity types
**Support Available**
- studycalendar-adopters@gforge.nci.nih.gov

**Notes:**
“If this tool looks right for you, here’s some information about the current release and future development plans.  There’s also some information about the support that’s available if you are seeking an external resource for help.  caBIG is continuing to grow, so it’s expected that additional support resources will become available as we proceed – there’s information about the caBIG Enterprise Support Network on the caBIG community website that will ell you more about these options.”

## The Next Step: Accessing Online Resources

| PSC Online |  |
| --- | --- |
| Tool Landing Page | https://cabig.nci.nih.gov/tools/PatientStudyCalendar |
| Access to Demo Passwords and 
Logins | https://vera.bioinformatics.northwestern.edu/studycalendar  |
| Software Development
Project Site | http://gforge.nci.nih.gov/projects/studycalendar/ |
| PSC Elaborators
LISTSERV Signup | http://gforge.nci.nih.gov/mailman/listinfo/studycalendar-elaborators |
| Current documents | http://gforge.nci.nih.gov/docman/?group_id=31 |
| NCI Center for
Bioinformatics
Applications Support | ncicb@pop.nci.noh.gov  |

**Notes:**
“Here are some critical URL’s and e-mail addresses to get you started – the Tool Landing page is where the most recent release and documentation and training for the tool is kept, so it’s a great starting place.” 

## Thanks for Attending!

**We’d like to know what you think! **
- Did you get useful information from this presentation?
- What additional information or future presentation topics would you like to see?
**Send your feedback to **_**[caBIGconnect@cancer.gov](mailto:caBIGconnect@cancer.gov)**__** **_

**Notes:**
“Thanks for listening to this presentation – we’d like your feedback!  Here are some questions to get you started – send us a quick note at the e-mail below so we can continue to develop new materials that will support your needs.  I’ve enjoyed talking with you – and wish you all the best as you connect with caBIG!”