| |
Case Studies (continued)
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health
| |
|
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health |
The objective of the NHLBI CRISP Replacement System (CUPID) development project was to migrate the current in-house database information into a web-based, relational database and develop a user-friendly front-end that would be more easily maintained and able to interface directly with IMPAC II and IRDB.
In particular, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) had a major computer application that ran in batch mode against Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects (CRISP) and Information for Management, Planning, Analysis, and Coordination (IMPAC) to report the NHLBI dollars spent for over 200 scientific areas. This information, required annually and at other intervals during the year, is for the Office of Financial Management, NIH and for the preparation of Congressional Hearings. The Office of Science and Technology (OST) had developed over 257 reports, including those on Women’s Health Initiatives. With IMPAC eliminated and the implementation of IMPAC II as a relational database with client server and web applications for access, a new Web application was needed to quickly, efficiently, and effectively provide this information to NHLBI on an as needed basis.
Altum, Inc. provided the software development services and business domain expertise to successfully develop and deploy this new system. The new system uses Java Server Pages, a Java Servlet Framework, and a SQL Server database.
|
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health |
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has eight scientists conducting an intramural research program in a study of the AIDS virus. As part of this research, the lab manages over one hundred experiments in coordination with four outside facilities. The data for the research was originally stored in a variety of Excel spreadsheets, which became increasingly cumbersome to use. In particular:
• The spreadsheets were so large that they became a performance problem (taking two to three minutes to open)
• The spreadsheets had many calculations and were difficult to modify
• The system did not accommodate the multiple platforms (MacIntosh and PC) needed for the laboratory environment
• Scheduling with outside facilities was a manual, paper process
In summary, the laboratory needed a system to streamline internal operations as well as provide coordination, collaboration, and communication with outside facilities.
Working hand-in-hand with the NIAID, Altum developed a flexible, secure web-based system to record, track, and coordinate laboratory information. The system allows scientists to record information about the experiments being conducted and the schedule of procedures. Information is easily entered through a web browser interface and stored in a Microsoft SQL Server™ database. Scientists now have quick access to clinical records. Outside laboratory facilities can easily access schedule information through a secure extranet. |
National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health |
The objective of this Task Order was to implement the Scientific Tracking and Reporting System (STARS) system to replace the existing NIDCD mainframe, flat file-based coding and retrieval system. This was achieved by customizing a version of the existing National Institute of Nursing Research system to accommodate NIDCD requirements, as determined in requirements meetings held between the Contractor and NIDCD staff.
As NIDCD has specific requirements and uses for the system that are distinctly different from the NINR STARS system. Altum continues to develop enhancements and maintain STARS for NIDCD. The system tracks, queries, categorizes and reports on grant information.
This web-based application is similar to other Altum systems in use at 11 Institutes, Centers, and Offices at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) including the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Office of Dietary Supplements. This system allows Scientists, Budget Officers and Grant Administrators to easily track and accurately identify the grant information they need.
|
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health |
In September of 2001, NIDCR launched an initiative to develop a system to increase their administrative and decision making capabilities for their Training and Fellowship Grants. Altum developed a system that allows the Administrators of Extramural Training Programs to perform analysis by tracking the progress of recipients of Training Funds to measure the success of a Training Program. By determining what a former trainee accomplishes within NIH in the form of research after the training, NIDCR can better understand if a program is successful.
The Training Database Application is a fully customized system developed by Altum in Microsoft Access. As with our other NIH clientele, the critical need for Altum’s service arose out of our IMPACII/IRDB expertise. The capturing of data from the legacy systems through an automated download is the most complex component of the system. The User Interface is simple but allows the users of the system to accomplish standard queries, reports, and exports to Microsoft Excel as needed.
The application’s focus on a specific type of Grant (training and fellowship) is a unique niche for Altum and has received attention in other NIH institutes without any formal marketing or press.
|
| |
|
|
