A Look into the Data Integration Centers: The Data Integration Center of Ruhr University Bochum – Teamwork for Secure and Innovative Data Use
In the new SMITH news series “A Look into the Data Integration Centers,” each month, a Data Integration Center established within the SMITH Consortium of the Medical Informatics Initiative (MII) will be presented. Initially established at university medical locations, the Data Integration Centers create the foundation for secure and data protection-compliant access to high-quality data from routine care. This time, the Medical Data Integration Center of Ruhr University Bochum (MeDIZ.RUB) gives us a behind-the-scenes look. MeDIZ.RUB was a networking partner in the SMITH Consortium from 2018 to 2022, with the setup phase starting in 2023. Find out how far the preparations for commissioning have come and what secret lies behind the motivation of the MeDIZ.RUB team in this brief profile.
In which roles are the staff at the Data Integration Center Bochum employed?
Our team at the MeDIZ.RUB brings together expertise in project management, quality management, IT administration, and IT project management. Together, we work hand in hand to build the Data Integration Center in Bochum and advance medical research.
How is the DIZ Bochum structured?
Bochum University Medicine consists of the Medical Faculty and eight affiliated hospitals with a total of 13 locations. As Germany’s largest university hospital, we have access to a large volume of patient data. The MeDIZ.RUB team coordinates the central administration and use of these data. Patient data from various hospital information systems are securely collected and transferred into a central system. We ensure that all data is processed in strict compliance with legal and data protection regulations and is used exclusively for scientific research purposes.
What are you currently working on?
We are close to completing the preparations for the launch of MeDIZ.RUB. At this stage, we are focusing on the implementation of the Broad Consent model, a comprehensive patient consent process that enables clear and transparent regulation of data use for research. Additionally, we are working intensively on optimizing our processes to further enhance the efficiency of data integration and usage. This includes fine-tuning our data management workflows, ensuring the highest data protection standards, and implementing advanced analytical tools.
Your motto:
“From mining treasure to data power: The Ruhr Area united for medical innovation.”
Fun Fact about your DIZ:
Cake on Wednesday: The secret ingredient that gives our concepts and infrastructure the final touch—and keeps us all even more motivated!
Since 2018, the university medical sites of the Medical Informatics Initiative (MII) have been setting up Data Integration Centers funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). In 2023, the Data Integration Centers of the university hospitals were integrated into the Network of University Medicine (NUM). Since then, they have been funded by the BMBF as part of the NUM, but continue to be managed by the MII.