Department of Biostatistics & Data Science

Office of Biostatistics Services

• Design Support
  Includes producing power calculations, determining sample size, designing studies that minimize the effects of measurement and experimental error, and identifying appropriate methods for data collection, summary and analysis.
• Adaptation and Development
  Includes quantitative research that will produce improved methods and procedures to collect, manage, analyze and interpret biomedical data.  This usually occurs during a long-term collaboration between a UTMB researcher and a member of the Office of Biostatistics.
• Software Support
  The OBIOS provides support for the computer package SAS® and GraphPad Prism. Both are statistical software with extensive data management capabilities. The OBIOS also maintains and supports ArcGIS, a mapping and spatial analysis program; and TreeAge, a visual modeling tool for building and analyzing decision trees for cost-effectiveness analyses.
• Database Design
  Includes developing project specific systems for data acquisition, scheduling, and modification. Data management includes maintaining data bases and preparing databases for analysis. Data analysis includes identifying and applying appropriate numerical procedures to allow valid statistical inferences.
• Special Services
  Are available to assist with the conceptualization, formulation, design, use and codification of these data gathering tools.  Pilot testing, training, operational evaluation and analytic support can be obtained on a project specific basis.
• MarketScan
  OBIOS will maintain the Merative MarketScan database, which contains longitudinal medical, and pharmacy claims for over 273 million unique enrollees from 500 hospitals, 120 contributing employers, and 40 unique health plans in the US.