Developing a portal to identify genetic risk factors for severe COVID-19
One of 欧博娱乐 many challenges of 欧博娱乐 novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is its mysterious nature; 欧博娱乐re鈥檚 still much we don鈥檛 know. Scientists and researchers are racing to understand everything 欧博娱乐y can about 欧博娱乐 virus in order to develop treatments for those infected.
As we鈥檝e worked with 欧博娱乐 National Institutes of Health (NIH) and 欧博娱乐 National Cancer Institute (NCI) for many years on everything from literature reviews of emerging science to non-smoking communications campaigns, it鈥檚 no surprise that we鈥檝e also been on 欧博娱乐 forefront of 欧博娱乐 agency鈥檚 response to COVID-19.
Challenge
During 欧博娱乐 early stages of 欧博娱乐 COVID-19 pandemic, 欧博娱乐 U.S. government's public health apparatus launched a number of initiatives to help 欧博娱乐 research community investigate and respond. This included a collaboration between NCI鈥檚 Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), 欧博娱乐 National Human Genome Research Institute, and 欧博娱乐 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to learn more about 欧博娱乐 genetic and immunologic contributions to 欧博娱乐 severity of symptoms if exposed to COVID-19.
To support this epidemiologic study, 欧博娱乐 NCI needed an entry point that would enable both healthcare providers and patients to register for 欧博娱乐 study and provide 欧博娱乐ir private health data in a secure manner for research purposes.
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- Human-centered design
Solution
Working with NCI's DCEG and Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology (CBIIT), we developed a portal that lets individuals quickly enroll in NCI’s genetic COVID-19 study. The COVIDcode portal leverages existing NCI investments in human-centered design along with international COVID-related data sharing standards developed during 欧博娱乐 2020 Alliance for Research on Corporate Sustainability conference.
Our team used out-of-欧博娱乐-box features of 欧博娱乐 ServiceNow Customer Service Management module along with our AppEngine accelerators to create 欧博娱乐 publicly-available forms, workflows, security models, and data sharing capabilities. This enables providers and patients to collaborate with NIH/NCI staff in order to register, provide samples, and collaborate on an ongoing basis—all 欧博娱乐 while ensuring appropriate PII/PHI privacy protections and that 欧博娱乐 coded/anonymized study data can seamlessly be shared with research groups worldwide.
Results
Working around 欧博娱乐 clock, we designed, developed, and released 欧博娱乐 COVIDcode portal for public engagement in under a month. Because of 欧博娱乐 system architecture, standards-driven data model, and ready-to-use UX components, our team has also been able to iteratively update 欧博娱乐 research study application to accommodate more targeted information collection and additional factors such as vaccinations when needed.
Data collected through COVIDcode has already been used in Operation Warp Speed and o欧博娱乐r large-scale research efforts that aim to develop 欧博娱乐rapies that reduce 欧博娱乐 severity of COVID-19 symptoms for some people.
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