REDCap SHARE

Sharing Health-data Access for Research Empowerment

REDCap SHARE is a secure, institutionally governed capability that enables patient-authorized sharing of electronic health record (EHR) data for research. It connects clinical systems (such as Epic) with REDCap projects, allowing approved health data to flow into REDCap in a controlled, auditable manner while aligning with organizational policies, IRB requirements, and security standards.

REDCap SHARE is implemented and managed at the institutional level by REDCap administrators in coordination with compliance, privacy, and clinical IT stakeholders.

Purpose

The purpose of REDCap SHARE is to support patient-authorized, protocol-aligned use of EHR data in research while maintaining institutional governance and regulatory compliance.

How REDCap SHARE Is Used

REDCap administrators configure and oversee REDCap SHARE to:

  • Enable approved REDCap projects to receive EHR data
  • Ensure data sharing aligns with IRB approvals and institutional policies
  • Reduce reliance on manual data extraction and custom workflows

Centralized administration promotes consistent policy enforcement, security oversight, and operational efficiency across studies.

Patient Authorization and Control

REDCap SHARE supports patient choice through existing EHR patient portals. Patients review and authorize what health information is shared for a specific research study.

Depending on institutional configuration and study design, patients may:

  • Review categories of requested EHR data
  • Authorize or decline participation
  • Share only the data described in the research consent

Only patient-authorized data are made available to REDCap projects.

Types of Data That May Be Shared

Subject to study approval, patient authorization, and institutional policy, REDCap SHARE may support sharing of:

  • Allergies
  • Care plans and care team information
  • Encounter diagnoses and encounters
  • Conditions (problem list)
  • Insurance coverage information
  • Implants
  • Diagnostic results and clinical notes
  • Goals and assessments
  • Immunizations
  • Social history and social determinants of health
  • Smart data elements
  • Study findings and specimen information

Availability varies by organization and depends on EHR configuration and governance policies.

Governance, Security, and Compliance

The use of REDCap SHARE is governed by:

  • Approved study protocols and consent language
  • Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals
  • Institutional data governance, privacy, and compliance policies

Within REDCap, access to EHR-derived data is role-based and limited to authorized users. Data transmission and storage follow established REDCap and institutional security practices, including encryption, authentication, and audit logging.

Why REDCap SHARE Matters

REDCap SHARE enables institutions to:

  • Scale patient-authorized EHR data sharing for research
  • Maintain alignment with regulatory and institutional requirements
  • Improve consistency and efficiency across studies
  • Support transparent, patient-centered data use

Important Notes

  • Only data available through the patient portal can be shared
  • REDCap SHARE does not expand EHR access beyond what patients can already view
  • Implementation and capabilities vary by institution

Status

This page is currently under development. Additional implementation details and technical documentation will be published soon.