TriNetX Infrastructure

Infrastructure

TriNetX is a third party web-based application that we host data for WashU. We host the data and an agent (client) that takes requests from TriNetX application and returns counts back to the application. The data lives within our firewall. The data is extracted from OMOP on a monthly basis and transformed into TriNetX CDM within WashU. The transformed limited data lives on the appliance hosted on WashU’s network. Both WashU, and external users can run count queries.

By default, there is no PHI in the backend. TriNetX has no access to PHI of any sort. The patient IDs are the de identified OMOP IDs. Export patient IDs is also very restricted. We don't allow users to do that. It can only be done when somebody presents with an IRB project where initially they did research and have a good enough number of patients that match their study criteria.

General access only requires a Wustl email. Does not expose patient level data, only aggregate patient counts. Unless somebody presents with an IRB, approved project request, we don't give them exported patient IDs. If user wants additional data or to further explore, they need to be directed to the intake form with IRB and an SOW, etc.

Data Sources

The data source for TriNetX up until about 2022 was I2B2, and we aren’t supporting I2B2 much anymore. Now it is OMOP.

If you had more than User Access you would be able to see a usage dashboard, etc. or profiles and queries that people run.

Users

External users are mostly pharma and CROs who want to recruit patients. WashU users can use the data for both recruitment and retrospective/observational studies. We don't advertise this to students, they may not even know and if they know and they request us, we can make a determination based on what they're trying to do if it is allowed for them or not.
Rarely BJC and never any students. Historically, we have not publicized TriNetX so it is either word of mouth or from conferences, etc.

Users can query each of the participating healthcare organizations data and get the counts of patients matching their inclusion/exclusion criteria, acquire patient counts, and see which site(s) is best suited for recruitment for a specific type of trial. Clinical research organizations also participate. This data set is good for feasibility, grant preparations, observational studies and visualizations.

There are workflows in place for those kinds of users to request a particular set of users on a site’s side. Center for Clinical Studies group receives email notifications from the application when a new study or collaboration is requested for Wash U. At that point they take over the entire workflow of finding a PII and everything that happens from that point forward.

For us, we don't need to do anything about it. As administrators, we will see those emails come in every day. But other than that, we are not required to do anything as far as that workflow is concerned.

User agreement has to be accepted online. Passwords expire every 6 months.

Please the TriNetX User Support Guide for more details on managing user accounts.

Maintenance Info

The TriNetX platform has regularly scheduled maintenance every Wednesday from 8pm to 10pm ET.