introduction to the virtual research data center...
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction to the Virtual Research Data Center (VRDC)
Faith Asper, MHS
Director, ResDAC Assistance Desk
Jeff Whitley, Manager Information Systems
General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT)
02/05/2014
Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
About ResDAC
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS)
contractor
Offers assistance to researchers interested in
using Medicare and Medicaid data for research
Staffed by a team of public health and health
services research specialists
Provides services related to CMS data
˗ Assistance Desk
˗ Workshops and Outreach
2 Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
Overview of Webinar
Describe the Virtual Research Data Center (VRDC)
Data Availability and Cost
Advantages of the VRDC
Provide Overview of the Request Process
˗ Materials needed
˗ Access process
Overview of the VRDC Environment (GDIT)
3 Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
Description of the VRDC
The CMS VRDC is a virtual research environment,
within CMS’s Chronic Condition Data Warehouse
(CCW), that provides timelier access to Medicare
and Medicaid program data in a more efficient
and cost effective manner.
4 Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
Data Available Through the VRDC
All CMS identifiable data files
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Data File Name Years Available
Master Beneficiary Summary File (MBSF): base, chronic conditions, cost & utilization, NDI
1999-2012; Medicare NDI 1999-2008; Medicaid NDI 1999-2007
Utilization: MedPAR, Inpatient, Outpatient, Home Health, Hospice, Skilled Nursing Facility, Carrier, DME
1999-2012
Part D event and characteristics files (drug, plan, prescriber, pharmacy, formulary)
2006-2012; Formulary file available 2010-2012
Assessments: MDS, OASIS, IRF-PAI, Swing Beds 1999-2012
Medicaid: MAX, Beta-MAX 1999-2010 (MAX) 2011 (Beta-MAX)
Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
VRDC Restrictions - Upload
User held data can be uploaded to the
environment
˗ Data space maximum within the upload review area:
Total allocation of 50 gigabyte (GB) per individual user
is available.
˗ Uploaded files are reviewed to ensure they are virus
free before files are moved to a user’s library.
˗ User responsible for assuring any non-public data being
uploaded into the VRDC environment is not
proprietary/restricted by a license agreement.
» If proprietary, user must obtain approval and include
approval with data request package
6 Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
VRDC Restrictions - Download
Users can download aggregate/statistical data
files from the environment
˗ Users may be subject to download review to ensure no
identifiable data is removed from the VRDC.
˗ 100 MB maximum on the size of approved files that can
be downloaded.
˗ Multiple files may be downloaded but each file must be
within the specified size limit (100 MB).
7 Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
Cost VRDC
Access to the VRDC is priced by the number of ‘seats’
A seat is defined as an individual with direct access
into the VRDC environment.
Annual seat cost is $40,000
Can have other seats for the same project for
$15,000/year.
Additional space can be purchased; $2,000 for each
500GB of additional space.
Specifics on pricing are found in the CMS VRDC FAQs.
http://www.resdac.org/cms-data/request/cms-virtual-
research-data-center
8 Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
Advantages of the VRDC
Up to 500 GB of space for data and analysis
Set price/year/seat
˗ May be less expensive than current cost of obtaining portable media if requesting several years of data or very large cohort.
Greater flexibility with number of years/files needed for research.
Data management is centralized within the environment.
Can download aggregate results.
Eliminates the need for acquisition of equipment to store and analyze data.
9 Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
Request Process
ResDAC assists researchers with the review of
materials and answering any questions about the
contents of data files, cost, and process.
Requestors must obtain IRB approval.
Requests will be reviewed and approved by CMS
Privacy Board.
See the ResDAC VRDC request website for list of
materials.
Access to the VRDC environment occurs after the
CMS DUA has been approved.
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Request Process
Description of the study, including objectives and design
Justification for why the data requested is the minimum amount of data needed to answer the study question
Explanation of how this study will benefit the Medicare and/or Medicaid programs
Description of how the study findings will be disseminated
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Research Requests need to include
Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
VRDC Research Request Process
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Step 1: Obtain the request materials
Start at the ResDAC home page
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Step 1: Obtain the request materials
The request materials are at the bottom of the
VRDC Request page.
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Step 1: Obtain request materials
Download request
materials
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Step 2: Prepare a draft
Prepare a draft of all the documents (before
signing them)
ResDAC will provide technical and administrative
review of the materials.
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Step 3: Email drafts to ResDAC
Email draft documents to
ResDAC will review, obtain cost invoice,
provide comments and email all
documents back for final revisions and
signatures.
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Step 4: Email final copies to ResDAC
Email final documents with signatures
˗ CMS can’t accept digital signatures.
ResDAC will forward all to CMS for
processing.
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Step 5: Submit Payment
After the CMS Privacy Board reviews
and approves the request, CMS emails
requestor:
˗ DUA number with approval notice
˗ Instructions to submit payment
Once the requestor submits payment,
CMS will notify GDIT that they can
provide the user access to the VRDC.
19 Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
Resources for Help (ResDAC)
ResDAC Assistance Desk ˗ Email: [email protected]
˗ Phone: 1-888-973-7322
˗ Web: http://www.resdac.org
ResDAC Website ˗ CMS Data Request Center: VRDC request center
˗ ResConnect (Resource Library)
» Tips for Completing the DUA
» Request Documents for Research Identifiable Data Requests: Data Use Agreement
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About GDIT (formerly Buccaneer)
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) contractor
Manages and hosts the VRDC environment
Staffed by a team of analysts and infrastructure/database personnel
Provides data extracts, hosts the source data warehouse and access to it, develops products for accessing and reporting upon the data
Maintains and operates the VRDC Help Desk
21 Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
Specialized VRDC Research Files
Master Beneficiary Summary File: Annual file with
individual segments (1999-2012)
˗ Beneficiary Summary A/B/D
» Enrollment (A,B,D enrollment indicators) / Entitlement
˗ Chronic Conditions
» Incidence flags / Dates of first occurrence
˗ Cost and Use
» Claims counts / Reimbursements
˗ National Death Index (Medicare 1999-2008; Medicaid
1999-2007)
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Specialized VRDC Research File
Part D Event (PDE) Characteristics files (2006-
2012)
– Drug : Special licensing arrangement with First
DataBank®. Four variables for drugs dispensed: brand
name, generic name, strength, and form for the NDC
code observed on the PDE.
˗ Plan: Five files: 1) plan benefit package, 2) premiums,
3) cost sharing tiers, 4) service area, and 5) Plan
crosswalk.
˗ Prescriber: The HCIdea™ Prescriber Database is data
source. Provides information on the type of provider
who prescribed the medication.
23 Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
Specialized VRDC Research File
Part D Event (PDE) Characteristics files (2006-
2012)
˗ Pharmacy: National Council for Prescription Drug
Programs (NCPDP) Database is the data source.
Provides additional information about pharmacy to
include common parent organization.
˗ Formulary (2010-forward): Provides information on the
types of drugs covered on the formulary for each plan’s
Part D plan benefit package.
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Specialized VRDC Research File
Medicare-Medicaid Linked Enrollee Analytic Data
Source (MMLEADS) (2006-2009)
˗ Suite of linked files that allows for the examination of all
Medicare and Medicaid enrollment and claims data for
those who were dually enrolled in both programs.
˗ Both Medicare claims and Medicaid Analytic eXtract
(MAX) claims, as well as the corresponding beneficiary
enrollment and demographic information, is available in
annual calendar year data files.
25 Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
Accessing the Data
Standard SAS Datasets within SAS EG
VRDC Technical Analysts to extract non-
standard data and move to user’s library
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VRDC Onboarding Process
Upon DUA and payment confirmation, VRDC Help is notified via the VRDC Access Request System (CARS) that CMS has approved a request for access
VRDC Help sends approved user security documentation for completion
Upon review and acceptance of completed documentation, VRDC Help notifies user via email of: ˗ VRDC Username and Password
˗ VPN access instructions
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VRDC Overview
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CCW Website – www.ccwdata.org
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Website Login
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VPN and VRDC Login
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Virtual Desktop
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File Transfer Request System (FTRS) - Upload
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File Upload Process
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SAS EG Environment
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FTRS - Download
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Output Review
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File Download Process
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Resources for Help (GDIT)
VRDC Help Desk ˗ Email: [email protected]
˗ Phone: 1-866-766-1915
˗ Public Web: http://www.ccwdata.org
CCW Website ˗ Public section contains interactive and static
reports about Medicare and Medicaid data as well as Data Dictionaries of extracted files
˗ Secure website has reference user guides and instructional videos on using the VRDC
39 Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C
Questions
Submit your question through the “Q&A”
icon at the top of your screen.
Submit a question through the “Chat”
feature.
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Work performed under CMS Contract #HHSM-500-2013-00166C