Policy
I. Timeline Policy
Biostatisticians usually work on multiple projects at a given time. Sufficient time will be needed for the biostatistician to appropriately address your needs before your deadline. Please allow adequate lead-time when contacting the core facility for assistance. Below are the minimum times needed to complete types of biostatistical support requests:
Protocol development/ grant application/re-submission – at least 4 weeks to provide tailored input from the biostatisticians.
Data analysis project – at least 2 weeks after receiving the data. Depending on the quality and complexity of data analysis, etc., more time may be required.
REDCap database development project – at least 2 weeks after the discussion on project specifications. Depending on complexity of form structure, more time may be required.
Project Type:
Project Type | Minimum time required | ||
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Protocol development/grant application/resubmission |
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Data analysis project |
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REDCap database development project |
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Project Size:
Project size | Examples of service requests & what activities may be involved | Minimum time required | ||
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Brief |
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<5 hours | ||
Short |
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5-15 hours | ||
Medium |
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16-39 hours | ||
Long |
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>40 hours |
II. Authorship Policy
Biostatisticians who contribute to study design and/or conduct data analysis will be qualified as co-authors on the publication/abstract/presentation to acknowledge their scientific and intellectual contribution to the work. Funding/fees for time does not preclude or replace authorship. Consideration for authorship should be based on the contribution of each person and on the accepted criteria for most medical journals. These criteria generally cite both study design and statistical analysis as intellectual input sufficient for authorship. For more information, please refer to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Authorship guidelines (www.icmje.org).
Any intellectual property, such as programming code, that originates from or is developed by the JABSOM Biostatistics Core Facility shall remain the exclusive property of the Core.
III. Grant Acknowledgement Policy
The JABSOM Biostatistics Core Facility is a research facility partially supported by an institutional infrastructure grant. Acknowledgement of this grant in all publications or presentations resulting from the utilization of biostatistics core services is required. The grant should be acknowledged in the following format: “XXX (Individual biostatistician(s)) was (were) partially supported by the U54MD007601 (Ola HAWAII) from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and U54GM138062 (PIKO) from the NIH, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIH.”
IV. Request for Resources
Investigators should request resources or consultations from the Biostatistics Core Facility by using the Request for Resources online form.
V. Fee Structure
Grant Proposal Development
We provide up to 20 hours of no-charge support toward extramural grant proposal development that includes salary support for biostatistics faculty/staff at 10% collaborative full-time equivalent (FTE) and above. This option is appropriate for research proposals that would benefit from significant involvement of a biostatistician, usually as a co-investigator or key personnel, both while writing the grant and once it is funded. Grant applications are strengthened and prospects for funding improved by closely collaborating with a biostatistician(s) during the proposal development stage.
Statistical Analysis Project Support
Our service is offered at no charge for the initial consultations (~ 1 hour).
The Biostatistics Core Facility offers three mechanisms for additional hours of biostatistical support for funded projects:
1) Collaborative full-time equivalent (FTE) approach
2) Project-based (fixed price) contract, or
3) Short-term hourly based fee-for-service agreement.
Collaborative Full-time Equivalent
A collaborative FTE approach is primarily used for long-term projects, such as an extramural grant. The Biostatistics Core Facility faculty and staff can provide collaborative support through a fixed negotiated percentage of effort. For example, a 20% FTE would be the equivalent of about 8 hours a week. This can be a cost-effective and efficient approach to ensure comprehensive and stable biostatistical analytic support for your project.
Project-based*
A project-based (fixed price) contract is recommended for medium- to long-term projects. During the consultation, the scope of work and total cost of the project will be determined between the biostatistician and the investigator. Changes to the project scope with corresponding impact to the effort and budget may be made with written notice to the Biostatistics Core Facility.
Hourly-based*
The short-term fee-for-service mechanism is ideal for projects with small datasets, preliminary analyses, or small tasks within a larger study that the Biostatistics Core Facility could support on a short-term basis. Charges are determined based on the number of hours spent working on the project and the following hourly rates.
Rates
Biostatistics Core Facility Rate for University of Hawaii (effective date July 1, 2019):
Faculty Statistician: $120 per hour
Staff Statistician: $80 per hour
Staff Programmer: $80 per hour
*A 5% administrative fee will be added for project-based support or hourly-based support (effective date July 1, 2021).
Ola HAWAII-Supported Projects
Please go to http://ola.jabsom.hawaii.edu/request-for-resources/ to request for Biostatistics Core support.
VI. JABSOM Medical Trainees
With allocated funding from the Dean’s Office, JABSOM medical trainees (i.e. medical students, residents or fellows) may have access to biostatistical support at no charge. If you are a JABSOM medical trainee and meet the following criteria: (1) PI of your research project and (2) first author of forthcoming publications related to your research project, you can schedule a consultation through the Medical Trainee Consultation Calendar (https://qhs.jabsom.hawaii.edu/biostatistics-core/consulting/). Do not submit a separate JABSOM Biostatistics Core Facility request form.
The biostatistical consultant and the supervising/supporting Biostatistics Core Facility faculty member, if any, will be listed as co-author(s) on all resulting publications, presentations, abstracts, and posters if significant intellectual contributions were made.
The following acknowledgement will be included in all publications and presentations as a result of the consulting services provided: The project described was supported by the Office of the Dean through the Barry & Virginia Weinman Endowment. XXX (Individual biostatistician(s)) was (were) partially supported by the U54MD007601 (Ola HAWAII) grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIH.”
If you have any questions please contact the Biostatistics Core Facility at biostat@hawaii.edu.
Version Date: February 22, 2023