Most important goal of a Clinical Data Manager is to ensure the consistency, quality & accuracy of clinical data. In this journey Edit check specification (ECS)plays a very crucial role to enable data cleaning.
ECS is created by DM’s with the input of study team member in clinical database build stage.3 crucial things to understand about ECS
1. What are the pre-requisites to create / build ECS?
2. What are the checks to include in ECS?
3. What to avoid while writing ECS?
⭐ 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 / 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗘𝗖𝗦: To build an ECS that severs the CDM needs,
- One should have clear understanding of study protocol & eCRF data points collected.
- Data dictionary of the database (EDC) - this helps to understand the various attributes, definitions of the elements that are being used in database.
- Possible data entry scenarios & test data: This will help to create a correct edit checks to address all the possible data issues that can happen when study go live.
- List of critical data points such as study end points, AE / SAE data etc.
⭐ 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗖𝗦?
Based on the type, checks in ECS can be categorized into
a. Univariate checks (these checks only applicable to a single field or single variable ona eCRF.)
b. Multi-variate Checks (edit checks with more than one fields or variables involved.)
c. Programmed Checks (they will fire as soon wrong data is entered)
d. Manual Checks ( need to run manual programs on the data & output reports are analyzed for data issues)
Based on core function – checks that are included in ECS can be categorized into
1. Missing data & eCRF checks : these checks ensure all the critical data points & eCRF’s are collected as needed (Ex : Missing inform consent date / missing Vital sign forms etc
2. Range Checks & format checks: they raises a query when entered value is out of range or format - specified for data collection point (ex: height, weight dates, time etc
3. Checks for Duplicate data: These checks alerts sites / DM when duplicate data is entered. Ex: Entering same AE event twice
4. Protocol deviation checks : These are must have checks to flag PD’s
5. External Data Checks : These check will ensure data quality of external data such as labs data, ECG etc
6. Inconsistency across single CRF & other eCRF’s : These will check inconsistencies on the same eCRF form across eCRF forms.
⭐ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗖𝗦?
1. Avoid complicate queries messages – this will hurt sites
2. Avoid placing too many edit checks in a form or visit
3. Avoid leading /probing/ or guiding participants enter any data point in a particular way.
4. Do not blindly copy checks from other / sister studies.
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