Data Access: Proposal Review and Project Approval Process

To obtain access to data housed in the MCHP Data Repository, the following approvals are required, in the following order:

A. MCHP (allow at least 10 working days for processing) - As steward of the data, it is necessary for MCHP to assess the feasibility of the request.

B. Data Providers and Institutions (allow 1-3 months for processing) - Approval must be obtained from the providers of the data to be accessed for the study and from the institutional research ethics board. Requisite forms vary with the data provider. 

NOTE: Project funding must be in place prior to obtaining any approvals.

C. University of Manitoba-Manitoba Health -MCHP (allow 2 weeks for processing) - For researchers wishing to access Manitoba Health data, a Researcher Agreement must be signed by the PI, the U of M, and MCHP. This step takes place after funding is secured.

To facilitate processing of requests, please ensure project reference numbers are included in all correspondence (i.e.,  the unique numbers assigned by MCHP, Health Information Privacy Committee (HIPC), and University Research Ethics Board). 

A. MCHP Approval

The proposed study is reviewed for feasibility and resource requirements - to ensure that all the required data are available - and a cost estimate is provided. It is also reviewed to ensure the objectives are consistent with the mission statement of MCHP (more information is available internally in Mandate Review Process).

Please send the following 2 pieces of documentation to the MCHP Repository Access Coordinator at mchp_access@cpe.umanitoba.ca, allowing at least 10 working days for processing of your submission.

1. Research proposal - it is very helpful to have it as complete as possible to facilitate assessing the data request (it may be sent in draft form). [MCHP Proposal Checklist]
2. Project Feasibility form - MCHP Project Feasibility and Data Access Quote Request form. This pdf form may be completed electronically and saved as a pdf file upon completion when using Adobe Reader 9 - available at http://get.adobe.com/reader/otherversions/.

Please note the following when completing this form:

Project team - It is recommended that an MCHP researcher, knowledgeable in accessing and using the Data Repository, be included in the project team.

Direct use of data - The process for approaching Manitoba Health directly for use of their data is outlined at their website: Health Information Data Request Form. 

Student applicants - Students wishing to access the data should review MCHP Guidelines for Student Use 

Resubmission - If you have already received a quote from MCHP and are submitting to MCHP again (e.g., because the previous submission was not funded), the study will need to be re-assessed by MCHP. This will help ensure that any changes to the proposal continue to remain consistent with the MCHP mandate and that the quote provided will accurately reflect the proposed work.

Funding Source - If your project is going to be receiving any funding from a private sector source, you must advise MCHP in advance and ensure that the MCHP Guidelines for Private Sector Sponsorship (updated May 12, 2010) are followed. 

This step is completed when you receive from the MCHP Repository Access Coordinator a formal quotation of costs for accessing the Data Repository.

B. Approvals from Data Providers and Institutional Ethics Boards

After funding has been confirmed:

a) Data Provider approval - Applications requesting access can normally be submitted simultaneously to data providers. The list of data housed in the MCHP Data Repository contains data provider information.

• Manitoba Health data
  • Health Information Privacy Committee (HIPC)- submission requirements, forms, and meeting schedule
• Other data - separate submissions for approval are required for data such as Mental Health (as per the Mental Health Act), Social Assistance (Family Services), Education, WRHA, etc.

MCHP resource - to assist in completing the HIPC submission form: An Example Submission Prepared at MCHP Focusing on Fields Relevant for Projects Using the Population Health Research Data Repository. Generally speaking, approval will always be required from HIPC for research carried out using data housed in the MCHP Data Repository.

b) Institutional Ethics Board approval - For University of Manitoba researchers (U of M employees, U of M students, academic appointments with the U of M, and individuals affiliated with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority), approval is normally requested from the Health Research Ethics Board (HREB) at the Bannatyne campus. (Ethics board approvals for institutions outside the University of Manitoba require a letter from UM REB confirming the non-UM approval meets UM requirements.)

• HREB submission requirements and forms - for MCHP studies, the form typically submitted to HREB is the Bannatyne Campus Research Ethics Board Submission Form for Retrospective Chart or Records Review, which facilitates a delegated review process, and is available directly from the University of Manitoba website (as of Oct./09):
  • HREB Chart/Records Review form 
  • HREB Chart/Records Review procedures 
• HREB meeting schedule and submission deadlines - note that, with the new process (Categories and Procedures for Review of New Research Protocols) and the possibility of early review, researchers are encouraged to make submissions at any time (rather than just before a deadline).
• Other U of M requirements - for example, Funding Application Approval Form(formerly "Form 58")

MCHP resource - to assist in completing the HREB submission form: An Example Submission Prepared at MCHP Focusing on Fields Relevant for Projects Using the Population Health Research Data Repository

This step is completed when the PI has received approval letters from the institutional ethics board and all data providers.

C. University of Manitoba-Manitoba Health-MCHP Researcher Agreement

Researchers requesting access to Manitoba Health data housed in the MCHP Data Repository are required to complete a Researcher Agreement: An Agreement Respecting Access to Manitoba Health information at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (University of Manitoba) for Research Being Conducted by University Researchers within the Secure Data Environment of MCHP. This agreement specifies that the Principal Investigator is responsible for ensuring obligations are met "respecting use and disclosure of information" for carrying out the study. This includes ensuring that project team members comply with the conditions of the Agreement.

Generally speaking, a Researcher Agreement will always need to be completed to carry out research using data housed in the MCHP Data Repository. Instructions for its completion can be obtained by contacting the Repository Access Coordinator at mchp_access@cpe.umanitoba.ca. Agreements exist for researchers in the following categories:

• University of Manitoba
• Non-University of Manitoba
• Student

Once the material needed for the Researcher Agreement submission has been compiled (including the original HIPC submission with proof of funding and all approval letters), it can be forwarded to the Repository Access Coordinator at MCHP, and she will facilitate the process of obtaining the necessary signatures.