University of Minnesota researchers have expanded access to health data from communities that have historically been underrepresented in research, thanks to a new research data warehouse from CTSI and the Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC). CUHCC is a Federally Qualified Health Center, Minnesota's first community health center, and a key collaborator on the University’s recent Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA).
The data warehouse contains the health records of more than 27,000 CUHCC patients who opted to share their records for research purposes. Over 80 percent of CUHCC patients identify as being part of a racial and/or ethnic minority, and nearly a quarter are uninsured.
Healthcare is safer and more effective for everyone when people from all backgrounds, ages, races, and ethnicities are included in health research — which has historically not been the case. The resource protects patient privacy through the removal of personally identifiable information, while giving scientists at the University of Minnesota and CUHCC access to data that’s critical to advancing health research.
Comprehensive data
The repository includes an extensive range of data types commonly found in electronic health records, such as demographics, procedures, diagnoses, labs, medications, and immunizations. In addition, data related to social determinants of health, dental care, and other services (interpreter, social work, obstetrics, diabetes, and more) give a holistic view of patients and the whole person care available from CUHCC.
This robust dataset will help researchers improve their understanding of health and disease, identify opportunities to reduce disparities, and enable more precise approaches to care.
Privacy-protecting protocols
To ensure the privacy and security of patient information, personal identifiers are removed from the health records and datasets are only available to authorized users within the University of Minnesota community. CUHCC health records are never sold. Only data from patients who opted to share their data are included, which is governed by strict access protocols.
Each U of M or CUHCC research study wishing to use the data must be approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), which evaluates proposals for patient safety, privacy, and compliance with federal laws and regulations. This process ensures that the data is used ethically and responsibly, and maintains the highest standards of confidentiality.
Get started
To request access to this data, schedule a consultation with CTSI’s informatics team:
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