REDCap resources

The WA Department of Health now preferentially supports REDCap use and many health service providers are switching to REDCap as the database of choice for safely entering, storing and reporting on data.

The Research Education Program, with support from our colleagues at Department of Health Data Library and Telethon Kids Institute, provide a suite of Seminars, Workshops and online resources designed to inform and improve your REDCap user experience. 

REDCap is a secure, web-based tool for data collection and management. It was initially developed in 2004 at Vanderbilt University in the United States for clinical research purposes. The REDCap Consortium, also founded by Vanderbilt, is a collaborative network of more than 4,000 institutions from over 130 countries that freely contribute to ongoing development of the software. REDCap is open sourced and free to use by non-profit or governmental institutions.

REDCap is used worldwide by over 1.3 million users, particularly in the academic research community and informatics teams. In Western Australia, REDCap is currently used by the University of Western Australia (UWA), Curtin University, Telethon Kids Institute and Western Australian Health Translation Network (WAHTN). Additionally, REDCap is currently used by WA Health employees on independent internal (behind firewall) instances within the South Metropolitan Health Service (SMHS) and North Metropolitan Health Service (NMHS).

Key features

  • Simple, powerful interface for building surveys, forms and databases
  • Free to use by all WA Health employees
  • Secure and web-based – integrated into WA Health Active Directory with two-factor authentication
  • Only requires internet access – users do not need to download software
  • Project owner control of user permissions 
  • Easy to send surveys/forms and track responses
  • Full Audit trails of data access, entry and revision
  • Advanced features such as calculated fields, branching logic, file uploading and data piping
  • API (Application Programming Interface) – automated integration into applications such as PowerBI
  • Export data into analysis packages e.g. Microsoft Excel, R, SAS, STATA and SPSS
  • Ad hoc reporting tools
  • Download forms and surveys as PDFs
  • Free and established online training resources.

Advantages for WA Health

Deployment of REDCap across WA Health will directly enhance outcomes for patients and the whole system, improving the:
  • quality and compliance of data collections
  • processes and procedures in Safety and Quality initiatives
  • quality and compliance of research projects
  • streamlining and digitisation of paper-based processes
  • collaboration and sharing of data
  • automated capture of Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs).

Some other benefits include:

We've broken down our most popular recorded REDCap Basics workshop into bite-sized videos that focus on the essentials, just to get you started. From logging in to building your first project, this series of mini vids is intended to familiarise new or novice users with REDCap. 

  
Duration 4:19


 
Duration 3:15


 
Duration 1:19


 
Duration 9:50


 
Duration 4:27


 
Duration 3:13


 
Duration 2:07



Duration 2:57

 

Click on each access link and complete a simple REDCap form to be granted access to both the recording and accompanying handout for your chosen topic.

Handout documents include a copy of the presentation slides for your own personal use. We ask that you do not distribute them widely, but rather share the access link when sharing or forwarding these resources.

 REDCap Workshop 1: Basic Walkthrough recording from 27 Feb 2024 presented by Dr Giulia Peacock  

REDCap Basic Walkthrough 2024

Presented by REP Fellow: Dr Giulia Peacock

This workshop offers an introduction to building databases in REDCap and covers basic concepts and best practices to equip researchers in building a database for their research project.

Workshop duration: 1:16:24 | Recorded on 27th February 2024 | Access link

 REDCap Workshop 2: Intermediate Walkthrough recording from 12 March 2024 presented by Dr Giulia Peacock  

REDCap Intermediate Walkthrough 2024 - Beyond the Basics

Presented by REP Fellow: Dr Giulia Peacock

This level offers a more comprehensive look at creating a database and using surveys, and builds upon the topics in the REDCap Basics Workshop. This workshop is most beneficial to those who have identified an upcoming need for the REDCap's advanced functionality.

Workshop duration: 1:08:33 | Recorded on 12th March 2024 | Access link

 Workshop 7, REDCap Basic Walkthrough, presented on Tuesday 1 August 2023 by Dr Jane Mugure Githae  

REDCap Basic Walkthrough 2023

Presented by REP Fellow: Dr Jane Mugure Githae

This workshop offers an introduction to building databases in REDCap and covers basic concepts and best practices to equip researchers in building a database for their research project.

Workshop duration: 1:32:16 | Recorded on 1st August 2023 | Access link

 REDCap Intermediate Workshop presented on Tuesday 29th August.  

REDCap Intermediate Walkthrough 2023

Presented by REP Fellow: Dr Jane Mugure Githae

This level offers a more comprehensive look at creating a database and builds upon the topics in Workshop 1, enabling attendees to utilise the advanced functionality that REDCap offers.

Workshop duration: 1:34:38| Recorded on 29th August 2023 | Access link

 REDCap Advanced Workshop - Creating Surveys, recorded on Tuesday 27th June 2023, presented by Dr Jane Mugure Githae, CAHS REP Research Fellow  

Advanced REDCap - Creating Surveys 2023

Presented by REP Fellow: Dr Jane Mugure Githae

This workshop explores a more in-depth look at advanced features in REDCap and how to design and distribute a survey through REDCap.

Workshop duration: 1:48:37 | Recorded on 27th June 2023 | Access link

Using REDCap for Data Capture and Management seminar was presented on 5th May 2023

Using REDCap for Data Capture and Management

This presentation covers how to access REDCap, basic functionality and where to go for further assistance and resources.

Seminar duration: 59:29 | Recorded on 5th May 2023 | Access link

Cover image for REDCap Basic Walkthrough workshop recording

REDCap Basic Walkthrough 2021

A guided walkthrough of REDCap to build familiarity with the layout and processes involved in setting up a project.

Workshop duration: 29:28 |  Access link

Cover image for REDCap Creating Surveys workshop recording

REDCap Creating Surveys 2021

Explore REDCap surveys including design, set-up and distribution. Targeted to those familiar with logging in and setting up a project.

Workshop duration: 28:53  |  Access link

Cover image for recording of REDCap Basics workshop with Telethon Kids Institute

REDCap Basics Workshop 

This workshop is most useful to anyone building a new project, or those tasked with managing or maintaining an existing database.

Workshop duration: 1:37:50  |  Access link

Cover image for recording of REDCap Intermediate workshop with Telethon Kids Institute

REDCap Intermediate Workshop

This workshop offers a comprehensive look at creating a database, using surveys, and builds upon contents from the Basics Workshop. Users should be familiar with navigating and using REDCap for best use of this resource.

Workshop duration: 1:37:23  |  Access link

The Department of Health WA also provide access for researchers and clinicians to their own instance of REDCap.

To set up an account or to find out more visit the Department of Health Hub Support Page for REDCap.  

The support page includes links to other documents such as a “How To” guide and “Project Migration” guide. 

Enquiries

For general enquiries please email DataLibrary@health.wa.gov.au.

Useful links

Resources

The Touchstone project guide provides an overview of the process undertaken by Touchstone to transition all research to REDCap. This included the transfer of all paper-based data collection instruments to the online version on REDCap, and the migration of all archived data stored on MS Excel to REDCap. This document highlights key lessons learnt for the purpose of providing additional information to support other services who may be migrating to REDCap.

Other training outside of CAHS

When you login to REDCap, there are Help and FAQ and Training Videos tabs at the top of the screen. Help & Information is also available on the bottom left of the screen when you enter projects.

Vanderbilt has developed a free online training course on clinical data management though Coursera. REDCap is used for the applied parts of the course.

Having such a large global user-base, there is a range of REDCap resources available online. Many institutions have prepared user guides that provide step-by-step instruction for the most commonly used features of REDCap.

REDCap is a self-use system and email-support is not available for users of the TKI instance, unless your query relates to either:

  1. an account/permission related issue
  2. a request to engage in consultation

Online resources

There are substantial resources online to help researchers troubleshoot issues and/or upskill in REDCap. 

These include:

  • a number of video tutorials within the application to provide additional insight into its functionality (located on the top menu bar of the REDCap home page or on the left hand menu under ‘Help and Information’ ); and
  • the REDCap Help & FAQ page (Under ‘Help and Information’ at the bottom of the left hand menu).

Data management support

Further information can be found on the home page of the Telethon Kids Institute instance of REDCap

The Research Education Program (REP) in collaboration with the Telethon Kids Institute (TKI) present a finite number of workshops throughout the year to walk participants through the basic functionalities and provide initial support for project set-up and maintenance.

For a detailed schedule, download a copy of our 2024 REDCap Workshop Schedule or visit the CAHS REDCap page on HealthPoint (WA Health staff only).

All REDCap Workshops are held at the Perth Children's Hospital, in the TKI seminar room, level 5 (west). In-person sessions only.

2024 

Topic Workshop Date Registration link
Basic Wakthrough
Tuesday 27 February 2024 WATCH the recording
Intermediate Walkthough Tuesday 12 March 2024 WATCH the recording
Advanced REDCap and Creating Surveys Tuesday 30 April 2024 Register
REDCap Troubleshotting Workshop  Tuesday 28 May 2024 Register

2023

Our 2023 recorded REDCap Workshop sessions are available to watch and work along at your own pace.

Topic Recording Date Access video link
Basic Wakthrough
1 August 2023 WATCH the recording
Intermediate Walkthough 29 August 2023 WATCH the recording
Advanced REDCap and Creating Surveys 27 June 2023 WATCH the recording

Who can attend the in-person workshops

Attendance is open to all WA Health and Telethon Kids Institute staff.

Recorded training - open access

Our older Basic Walkthrough and Creating Surveys recorded workshops from 2021, presented by Dr David Foley are also available to follow-along at your own pace. Support material is also available to download from these links once a short access form is completed.

Alternatively, you may wish to watch our popular Research Skills Seminar entitled Using REDCap for Data Capture and Management (2023) for a succinct, 1-hour overview of its abilities and how it can protect and store your valuable research data.

Register for the next Using REDCap for Data Capture and Management presentation on 24 May 2024.

Last Updated: 29/02/2024