Data Analysis Software at Unity Health Toronto

SAS/SPSS

Frequently Asked Questions

In June and July of each year, the Office of Research Administration (ORA) will email PIs whose staff already have SAS/SPSS installed on their computers as part of the Annual Review Process. Those who respond to the ORA’s emails will have SAS and SPSS reinstalled without having to complete a ShopICT request.  However, once the review is complete at the end of July, all NEW SAS and SPSS requests are required to be completed through ShopICT as per the instruction below.

You will need to complete a ShopICT request. In order to complete the ShopICT request, you will need to know the PC# where you would like the license installed, the user of that PC, the cost centre number that will be charged for that license, and the Principal Investigator (PI) or Manager responsible for the cost centre number.

There is an annual fee to have a SAS or SPSS license installed on each individual computer (one license per computer). The license year for both SAS and SPSS is from August 1 – July 31.

 The Annual Fee (covering the period from August 1 – July 31) for SAS is $2200 and for SPSS is $825 per license (only one license installed per computer). These fees are non-refundable.

If you purchase the license between August 1 and January 31 of the license year you will be charged the full cost of the license. If you purchase the license between February 1 and July 31 of the license year you will be charged a prorated rate of $1100 for a SAS and $412.50 for a SPSS license (covering the last 6 months of the license year from February 1 – July 31).

At the end of each license year (in July) all users and their PIs or Managers who have SAS or SPSS on their computers will be contacted by the Office of Research Administration and they will have the choice as to whether they would like to keep their license or would like it removed from their computers. Those who would like to keep their license will be charged the new Annual rate for that upcoming license year. Those who would like it removed will have it removed at no cost to them. These fees once charged are non-refundable.

No. As per our license agreements with SAS and SPSS each license can only be installed on one computer. However, you can transfer the license to another computer (see next question). 

Yes. If you decide throughout the year you would like to have the license transferred to another UHT computer/laptop you may do so at no cost to you. In order to transfer the license you must submit a ShopICT request and include the PC#s as well as the Users of those PCs. There is no cost to transfer a license to another computer.

No. UHT can NOT install SAS or SPSS licenses purchased through other non- UHT vendors (e.g., UofT) on a UHT computer or laptop. This goes against the license agreements the hospital has signed with both SAS and SPSS. You can install licenses purchased through UofT on your own personal computers and laptops. 

SAS has different levels of pricing depending on the type of organization. Three years ago SAS determined that hospitals are no longer eligible to receive academic rates like those charged to Universities and are now charged a Government/Healthcare Rate. Between 2008 and 2011 UHT was provided SAS licenses at a discounted Government/Healthcare Rate. Effective August 1, 2011 UHT with all other hospitals in Canada are charged the full Government/Healthcare Rate. Unity Health Toronto and the University of Toronto hospitals fought to keep the academic rate and were unfortunately unsuccessful.

Please contact Karen Ung, Special Projects Manager, at 416-864-6060 x76209 or Karen.Ung@unityhealth.to.

ALTAIR SLC (SAS Alternative)

If you are looking for an alternative to SAS, Altair has a comparable program. You can review their information at https://altair.com/altair-slc or in this deck

Open Source: R & Python

R and RStudio:

R is a powerful and versatile programming language and environment for statistical computing and graphics. It offers a wide range of statistical techniques, data analysis tools, and visualization capabilities, making it an invaluable asset for researchers across various disciplines. R’s open-source nature and extensive community support have led to a rich ecosystem of packages, enabling researchers to tackle complex data analysis challenges and create compelling visualizations. Whether you’re exploring new research areas or seeking to enhance your data analysis workflows, R provides a flexible and efficient platform to bring your research to life.

You can get more information about R at:

https://mdl.library.utoronto.ca/technology/tutorials/r-and-rstudio-information-tutorials-and-workshops

Python:

Python is a versatile programming language renowned for its simplicity and readability, making it an ideal choice for researchers across various fields. With a vast ecosystem of powerful libraries like NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, and Scikit-learn, Python empowers researchers to efficiently handle data analysis, statistical modeling, machine learning, and data visualization tasks. Its intuitive syntax and extensive community support enable researchers to quickly prototype ideas, collaborate effectively, and accelerate their research endeavors. Whether you’re a seasoned programmer or a newcomer to coding, Python offers a flexible and efficient platform to explore data-driven insights and drive scientific discovery.

You can get more information about Python at:

https://mdl.library.utoronto.ca/technology/tutorials/python-information-tutorials-and-workshops