Biomedical Informatics -
Comprehensive Informatics Resource Center

Honest Broker System

The Division of Biomedical Informatics (DBMI) at UAMS is working to create an honest broker system to facilitate access to data, images, and biological specimens for research. This initiative goes hand in hand with the TRI effort to create a data warehouse that makes electronic medical record data available for research. Both the honest broker and the warehouse are needed for optimal research access to medical record data.

An honest broker is an individual with the authority to act on behalf of an organization to provide data, biological specimens, or images to researchers.

An honest broker system is the organizational set of individuals, policies, procedures, and informatics systems that enable honest brokers to perform their function.

The honest broker must be an agent of the organization that owns the data, images, and biological specimens and he/she cannot be a member of the clinical or research team. Ideally, the honest broker is the only entity that can link research identifiers and clinical identifiers. Additionally, if the IRB recognizes the honest broker system and certifies individuals as approved honest brokers, access to resources for research is simplified and the IRB review process can be streamlined.

The net effect is that the honest broker system establishes trust that facilitates and accelerates research.

At UAMS, the effort to establish an honest broker system began in August, 2010 with the hiring of Kyla Alexander to DBMI. She previously served in the HIPAA Office at UAMS, giving her the requisite background and experience in the proper management of protected health information necessary to establishing an honest broker system.

What's next? DBMI is hiring a consultant from the University of Pittsburgh, which has a robust honest broker system, to hold a workshop in January, 2011 with key stakeholders at UAMS. The goals of the workshop to are to inform stakeholders of the key elements of an honest broker system and how to assemble them. Also, we will begin looking at necessary policies and procedures to establish the system. Details of this workshop will be posted here as they emerge.

If you missed the seminar on Honest Broker System you can view it here.
Honest Broker Seminar Part 1
Honest Broker Seminar Part 2
Honest Broker Seminar Part 3

You may also view Honest Broker Frequently Asked Questions.

How can I get involved? Contact Kyla Alexander to express your interest in the honest broker system and/or to sign up for the workshop. You may reach Kyla at 501-526-6960 or KDAlexander@uams.edu

UAMS Translational Research Institute
4301 W. Markham #Slot 577, Little Rock, AR 72205, 501-614-2287


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