Utrecht University Medical Center has created a powerful research online platform application using mendix’s enterprise low code solution. At present, 6500 end users in 45 countries have used the application

• The European Drug Administration (EMA) will collect and analyze data from at least 60000 participants
• The key to the success of the research online platform built on mendix’s low code platform is its flexibility and scalability
• Added new features to meet EMA requirements, such as repeated assessment

Beijing, China, February 24, 2022 – mendix, a Siemens business, a global leader in enterprise low code application development, recently announced that one of the largest public medical institutions in the Netherlands, the University of Utrecht Medical Center (umcu), has built a flexible workflow driven digital questionnaire, Help some European countries to record the side effects of special groups after vaccination with new coronavirus vaccine and booster vaccine. All these data will be automatically submitted to the European Drug Administration (EMA) for further research. The logic and content of the questionnaire was developed by lareb and has been integrated by umcu into the mature research online platform built by the organization based on mendix’s enterprise low code platform. The research online platform can help researchers manage data when conducting large-scale global clinical studies.

Secure cloud environment and scalability

At present, 6500 end users in 45 countries use the research online platform, including researchers, nursing researchers and monitors. The platform processes about 400000 forms submitted by more than 350000 respondents every year. In addition to developing complex workflows for large-scale long-term research, the research online platform also enables researchers to collect global data in a secure cloud environment that complies with applicable laws and regulations such as the quality management practice for drug clinical trials (GCP).
Since the number of survey participants is about 60000 to 100000, one of the main challenges facing this research is the scalability and capacity of the platform. Umcu chooses to replicate the research online platform so that they can respond quickly even if the number of participants increases. In addition, in order to meet the research requirements of EMA, umcu also set up a relatively complex workflow and developed new functions.

Develop new features at record speed

A special function of this workflow is “repeated evaluation”, that is, the side effect data entered before the query can be tracked in the next evaluation. For example, if the vaccinator reports signs of headache at the first assessment, the application will automatically ask the vaccinator if he still has headache symptoms at the second assessment. The use of corresponding repeated assessment questions to assess different side effects is innovative. In addition, the auditor is also a newly developed role in this study. By using a general dictionary, determine the category of side effects entered by the vaccinator in the open message board. For example, if the vaccinator enters “cold”, the auditor will record this side effect as “flu symptom”.
After the vaccinators register through online forms, a system called slim will create files for users. Slim will create anonymous users in the research online platform. In order to avoid matching research data with personal privacy information, the data of the two systems are strictly separated. In this study, umcu developers also developed the function that others can fill in the questionnaire instead of participants.
Joost Schotsman, head of data management at umcu Health Science Center, said: “I think the research online platform is the most suitable platform for this research in terms of scalability, flexibility and compliance. Due to the urgency of the requirements of EMA, we are very satisfied with the participation and help of mendix experts. Through cooperation, we can take rapid action to prevent the availability and scalability of research results Compromise on sex. “
Joelle de Prez, customer service manager of mendix, said: “The research online platform has become the technical basis of many clinical studies and is constantly developing and improving. With its flexibility, the platform can carry out various new research relatively quickly and stand out in the fierce market competition. We are very pleased that umcu chose mendix’s low code platform to build this important new module, which gives us the opportunity to contribute to this project Contribute expertise. “