All academic projects requesting BC Ministry of Health data and other data sets available on the Health Data Platform BC (HDPBC) will go through the HDPBC stream, provided that certain criteria are met. Projects that do not meet these criteria will follow the Population Data BC (PopData) stream.
Qualifying criteria for an HDPBC project | |
The data sets required (health, health services, social and demographic) are all available on the platform Note: You may also import your own Researcher-collected data and externally managed data sets if approved by the data provider. | ✓ |
Linkage to the following is NOT required:
| ✓ |
| The analytical tools required are available in the HDPBC Secure Environment | ✓ |
HDPBC and PopData projects follow the same data access request process, and the PopData Data Access Unit team support Researchers throughout the process. The main differences between the two streams are how the Data Access Request is reviewed/adjudicated, how data is provisioned and the secure environment for data analysis.
Differences | HDPBC projects | PopData projects |
| How are DARs reviewed/adjudicated? | For requests requiring access to data governed by multiple health organizations - a single review is conducted by the Health Data Council (comprising of members from participating health organizations). Requests requiring access to Health Information Banks or Pharma data will require additional review and approval by the Data Stewardship Committee under the eHealth Act. | For requests requiring access to data governed by multiple health organizations – a review is conducted by each Data Steward governing the data set requested. Requests requiring access to Health Information Banks or Pharma data will require additional review and approval by the Data Stewardship Committee under the eHealth Act. |
| Where are data provisioned? | The HDPBC Secure Environment (SE) A cloud-based secure environment accessible via two-factor authentication using Microsoft authenticator app, with expandable storage capacity.
For more information, go to: the HDPBC website | The PopData Secure Research Environment (SRE) A secure private cloud accessible only via an encrypted Virtual Private Network (VPN) through a firewall and use of a YubiKey® for two-factor authentication. For more information, go to: the Secure Research Environment |
| How are data provisioned? | Access to relational database in a secure environment
| Access to flat ASCII files in a secure environment
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| What analytical tools are available? | Includes: SQL, SAS, Python, R & Rtools, Data Bricks For a complete list of the tools and utilities available, go to: Data access and click on What tools are available in each stream for statistical analysis? | Includes: SAS, Python, R & Rtools, SPSS For a complete list of the tools and utilities available, go to: Data access and click on What tools are available in each stream for statistical analysis? |
