LifeCycle Consulting is a software development company, specialising in bespoke software and systems integration using Microsoft technologies. Initially engaged to develop HRECTrack in 2005, we are now partnering with Cabrini to host, support and customise the software.
	Cabrini Health is a large, not-for-profit Catholic Hospital. Its Human Research Ethics Office oversees research at a number of centres and (like every other HREC) handles a huge amount of paperwork each meeting. Cabrini Human Research Ethics Committee meetings are held every 4-6 weeks and receive an average of 6 new projects; 75 documents, as distinct from documents included in new projects; and 26 progress reports, of which 6 are accompanied by journal articles or similar, not to mention the SAE submissions. This volume of paperwork clearly requires a fail-safe document management system. HRECTrack is just that.
	History Of HRECTrack In early 2005, Cabrini decided to embark on the development after reviewing systems at other metropolitan HRECs and talking to the users. Our main needs were integrity of data and ease of use. The system was basic, pending the advent of AuRED. Once AuRED arrived, Cabrini HREC investigated the product, thinking to purchase it, but felt that its functionality was lacking. We simply wanted a user-friendly document and data storage system that would store all project details in the one place, where they could be instantly accessed. That's what HRECTrack is.
	It has been in use since late 2005 and this usage has pinpointed where additional features would be beneficial. Hence we invested in further development in 2010, and embarked on commercialisation in early 2011. As it has been designed by a Human Research Ethics Committee for Human Research Ethics Committees, you can be sure that it has everything you might need. HRECTrack is the database with the insider’s input.
	Documents come into the office and, once approved, are logged on the system and the papers filed. How do we know if we’ve got the latest PIC or IB? We check the database. How do we know if we received that one page questionnaire? We check the database. Who’s the new PI? Is it archived? Where? Has it been destroyed? It’s all there. HRECTrack is a one stop shop for all project details.
	HRECTrack minimises the need to pull the physical files so flipping through pages and pages of paper searching for a single document is no longer necessary. When project managers need to check if we have a particular document from one or two months, or even years ago, there is no digging involved: the electronic record is right there at the click of a button and the tap of some keys. The efficiency and accuracy of our office (and theirs!) has increased exponentially since HRECTrack.
	The reporting system has been the area to which we’ve added the most features over the past year. We wanted to be able to generate our reports directly from the database, without having to worry about sorting Excel spreadsheets or mail merges. Now we use the advanced search to sort our data before exporting into one of several customised reports. It’s fast and easy no fuss reporting.
	Making things even easier, there is a comprehensive alerts system that is triggered when insurance has expired, when progress reports are due, when projects have remained unapproved for an extended period and when there are compliance issues. No more reminders in Outlook calendars – it’s all there in the one spot, with the option to generate a ‘Project Error Messages’ report which lists all projects and their outstanding actions in the one document. Nothing will be overlooked ever again with this alert system.
	In such a paper-heavy office, we definitely need a reliable and comprehensive system into which all relevant details can be quickly and effortlessly entered for instant retrieval and reference. HRECTrack is just that.