Learn More About the Study
By participating, you’ll help uncover the link between clinical, administrative, and operational resources and outcome variability. With just 2-4 hours of annual effort, your center will gain insights into de-identified comparative data, receive organizational feature reports, and access the TIPTOE Knowledge Graph for decision-making.
During our enrollment process, you can select what your institution needs to participate and we will provide it to you.
Download our sample TIPTOE Study Protocol here
Download our sample Data Transfer Agreement here
If you choose to use our DTUA document please fill out the section highlighted in yellow and submit an *unsigned* copy to TIPTOE@uams.edu.
Download a sample of data that will be collected
- What is the purpose of the TIPTOE study?
The TIPTOE study aims to understand the impact of organizational features in Level 1 and Level 2 trauma centers on patient outcomes and to identify which features are indicative of institutional commitment. The results will help inform leadership, decision-makers, and stakeholders to improve trauma center performance. - How long will the study last?
The study will last for 16 weeks, with a 4-week start-up phase, a 2-week run-in phase, 8 weeks of data collection, and a 2-week analysis and reporting phase. The data submission and participation are iterative every 6 months. - What are the benefits of participating in the TIPTOE study?
Participants will gain early access to deidentified study results, receive semi-annual interval reports, have access to the TIPTOE Knowledge Graph, and be able to provide feedback for study improvement. - What is the expected level of effort for participating centers?Participating centers will need to complete a 40-question survey twice annually and submit TQIP data quarterly. The estimated annual effort is 2-4 hours.
- How will the data be collected and handled?
Data will be collected through an online web portal and stored on a secure server. All data will be de-identified and HIPAA-compliant. - What data will be collected in the study?
The study will collect data on 40 organizational parameters using the TIPTOE questionnaire and de-identified TQIP data. Here is a link to a pdf copy of the survey. - Will participating centers be blinded in the study?
Yes, all participating centers will be blinded, and there will be no attempt to reidentify centers after submission. - How can I enroll my trauma center in the TIPTOE study?
Reply to the email invitation with a point of contact, and the study team will reach out with further details. - Does the study require patient consent?
No, the study does not require patient consent as it focuses on the organization itself and collects de-identified data from trauma registries. - What is the study’s timeline for data collection?
The first data pull is planned within the next few months. Further information will be provided in a timely manner. - Will my center need a data transfer use agreement (DTUA)?
If your institution requires a DTUA, the study team can provide a template or use a local template if preferred. Here is our template.
If you choose to use our DTUA document please fill out the section highlighted in yellow and submit an *unsigned* copy to TIPTOE@uams.edu. - Is there a video explaining the study workflow for participants?
Yes, a brief video explaining the study workflow can be found here: https://www.loom.com/share/63eb63e084414e77867971fb6e399f57 - Is the study approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB)?
Yes, the study has been approved by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences IRB. If your institution requires a copy of the approval, the study team can provide it. - How will the data be used for analysis?
Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariable regression models to determine the impact of organizational features on patient outcomes. - How will the results of the study be disseminated?
Study results may be used for presentations, posters, or publications, without including any identifiable information that could be linked to a participant. - Is there any funding available for participants?
Unfortunately, we do not have funding for participation in the study. Additionally, for this study, we do not foresee the participating centers becoming funded partners in this project. After completion of the primary analyses of the project, we recognize that there may be secondary analyses of the data set that would be interesting to existing partners. We would welcome collaboration on these secondary analyses for publication and happily provide any resources available to us to assist with these endeavors. We are planning future studies along this line of investigation and would welcome partners to share in the funding for these future applications.