Cost Structure
Our goal is to be flexible and transparent when working with research teams. Our rates for service are bundled payments, based on the relative complexity of each of three major components of a research project and the estimated time it will take to complete the requested work.
Billable Services
The Data and Methods Core project and cost structure includes three distinct services: Setup and administrative fee, Data management, and Data analysis.
Setup and Administrative Fee
This fee encompasses the administrative costs of initial consultation and the Core team’s time on the project, including regular meetings with the appropriate team members for your project. This is a standardized fee across all projects.
Data Management
Data management activities are those associated with data cleaning and management, and may also include activities such as data wrangling, data or text mining, and data harmonization. Data Management activities are categorized into three levels, based on the complexity of the data and the time needed to complete data management activities, as assessed by our team prior to initiation of services.
Data Management Level 1 typically applies to straightforward data sets that have already been cleaned and for which clear data dictionaries and specifications are available.
Data Management Level 2 typically applies to data sets that require additional cleaning or processing, have not been commonly used at BUMC previously or have limitations in documentation, or have moderately complex structure.
Data Management Level 3 typically applies to complex data sets that may require substantial cleaning, restructuring, or preparation for analysis.
Data Analysis
Data analysis activities are all activities associated with analyzing all data sources and interpreting the results of those analyses. Data analysis activities are also categorized into three levels, based on the data analysis plan developed by the researcher and Data and Methods Core team.
Data Analysis Level 1 includes activities such as:
- Descriptive analysis
- Distributional checking
- Basic inferential analysis
- Data visualization
- Results interpretation
Data Analysis Level 2, in addition to all activities also found under level 1, may also include:
- General regression modeling
- Survival analysis
Data Analysis Level 3, in addition to all activities found under levels 1 and 2, also includes:
- Mixed effect modeling and longitudinal analysis
- Factor analysis/structural equation modeling
- Causal inference
- Machine learning methods
Additional Fees
Given the nature of data analysis in healthcare, unanticipated situations and challenges may arise. While the Data and Methods Core aims to be as accurate as possible in anticipating the amount of time specific tasks should take, situations will arise that require additional work to be completed. Should the data management or analysis tasks for a project exceed the work required for the designated category, the Data and Methods Core will estimate the additional analytic activities required. This will be done in collaboration with the research team, and no additional charges will be added without collaborative discussion and planning.