CTSI enters final stage of TASCS-OnCore transition

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This month, CTSI began the final phase of an ongoing, collaborative effort to shift University of Minnesota clinical research studies from the Time and Study Collection System (TASCS) to the OnCore clinical trial management system (CTMS). 

Most studies have already transitioned to OnCore, and remaining studies are expected to transition by the end of 2018.

“This milestone wouldn’t have been possible without support and input from leadership and research teams across the University,” says Timothy Schacker, MD, CTSI Clinical Translational Research Services Director. “Feedback from stakeholders helped shape the implementation approach, and ultimately led to greater consistency and coordination of processes across the clinical research enterprise.”

Since 2013, CTSI has been deploying OnCore to provide the University research community with a comprehensive system for managing a clinical trial throughout its lifecycle.

Today, nearly 50 research areas and 600 people use OnCore to manage more than 1,500 studies across the University of Minnesota clinical research enterprise. Fairview Research Administration and University of Minnesota Physicians also use OnCore to ensure billing accuracy and to provide budgeting information to the University of Minnesota.

After clinical research studies transition, all updates will occur in OnCore while TASCS data will remain available to reference existing study-related information.

Studies that will be transitioned

The final phase of the transition will focus on TASCS studies with active research participants that are expected to end in 2019 or later.

Studies ending in 2018 or earlier will remain in TASCS and will not be transitioned.

What to expect

  • The OnCore team will guide study teams through the process from start to finish. They will contact study teams approximately 2-3 weeks before the study is set to transition, although this timeframe will vary from study to study. Study teams do not need to take action until that point.

  • Transitioning studies will require a significant time commitment from the study team, although most of the transition efforts are completed centrally. Teams should plan for multiple hours depending on study complexity and the number of active participants still undergoing billable study visits.

  • When a study has been successfully transitioned, the OnCore team will send a formal email to the study team, service providers, and accountants.

About the transition

Deploying OnCore across the University supports efforts to create an integrated research infrastructure, and enhance the efficiency and quality of health research.

CTSI’s financial investment in OnCore covers the system’s upfront costs as well as staff and resources to provide transition assistance, training, and ongoing support.

OnCore is viewed as a common-good enterprise system at the University and therefore no fees are charged to departments for standard use. Hourly rates are only charged to those who choose to utilize an optional service to create data capture forms.

Transition FAQs: From TASCS to OnCore

For more information, contact [email protected].