Cost

​WHAT IS THE COST OF DATA ACCESS?

STANDARD ACCESS
Standard access to the Long-Term Care (LTC) Data Cooperative’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) data is free for researchers who are conducting an approved, retrospective observational study requiring data included in a standard dataset inclusive of the study dates requested but that does not require updating.

Standard access includes:

• A secure cloud computing environment for data storage and analysis (e.g., the LTC Data Cooperative Portal);
• Access to a dataset composed of approved data elements as outlined in the Technical User Guide and defined in the DUA and IRB waiver of consent;
• Open-source database and analytic software (DBeaver, R, and Python);
• Access for up to 5 concurrent users;
• Necessary technical support (written communications and meetings) related to accessing the LTC Data Cooperative Portal and/or approved datasets.

For technical specifications of the LTC Data Cooperative Portal, please refer to the FAQs on our website.

Standard access does not include access to fee-based software, such as SAS®; technical support in excess of 12 hours; dataset updates (i.e., appending an initial dataset with more recent data); or assistance with recruiting facilities for study participation, or assistance with data analysis or creation of new metrics used in the proposed study.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES
We recommend that any applicants requiring services up and above those available through Standard Access develop budgets that account for relevant additional service costs, such as:

• Support for interventional studies such as clinical trials or pragmatic trials;
• Facility recruitment (i.e., identification of facilities that meet certain criteria);
• Selection of multiple resident cohorts or a cohort based on data elements not listed in the Technical User Guide;
• Inclusion of EHR data elements or development of measures not listed in the Technical User Guide;
• Refreshes of the LTC Data Cooperative dataset with more recent data over time (e.g., monthly or quarterly updates).
• Requests to merge data obtained from participating facilities or patients (must be accompanied by a separate IRB) that need to be merged with either specialized or standard data sets;
• Participation in research team or advisory team meetings 

The LTC Data Cooperative will work with researchers to provide cost estimates for activities requiring additional  services. Such researchers must budget for additional services in their proposals for external funding and, if approved, develop a sub-award or contract with the LTC Data Cooperative to provide compensation for additional services.

Please contact LTCDC@exponent.com with questions. We will do our best to respond within 2 business days.