The Embedded Clinical Research and Innovation (ECRI) team serves as a key point of contact for large institutional research and quality improvement projects that require experienced level implementation, recruitment, and full operational support services to get projects off the ground running. Our team works closely with UCLA’s IRB, security and compliance, CareConnect, and OHIA to help implement and operationalize large projects. Furthermore, the unit is specialized in high volume, multisite clinical impact projects seeking to innovate health care within UCLA and beyond. We work closely with Research Connect and other vendors to improve and pioneer recruitment methods used in large-scale initiatives at UCLA while having little to no impact on standard operating procedures.
A significant portion of our team’s efforts go to managing operations for UCLA’s Institute for Precision Health ATLAS Project, as well as all Precision Health related projects that require research and in-clinic implementation support. ECRI specializes in taking on UCLA leadership’s high priority projects to assure success in implementation, recruitment, and outcomes. The team works closely with the Health System and David Geffen School of Medicine to help bond research and clinical care into a seamless integrated partnership. In addition to ATLAS, ECRI is partnered with the UCLA Center for SMART Health where we operationalize and recruit participants for their projects involving smart health wearable technologies. . Finally, ECRI manages the Athena Breast Health Network for UCLA and the Los Angeles regional sites. This network focuses on breast cancer screening prevention studies, including the WISDOM study. WISDOM is a collaboration between all UCs and The Sanford Medical centers in the Midwest.
To inquire about ECRI services, please contact ECRI director, Antonia Petruse at apetruse@mednet.ucla.edu or call office line at (310) 794-0367.
RECRUITMENT: Manage and develop recruitment methods via CareConnect (BPA, physician inbox messaging etc.) in collaboration with Research Connect. Within this role, we provide a research orientated perspective while maintaining minimal impact to clinical workflows and developing staff training and orientation programs.
Recruitment services offered by our team in addition to traditional face to face methods: –
- Video animated electronic based consenting (via iPad/MyChart)
- MyChart recruitment (direct or indirect)
- Automated system phone calling recruitment
- Direct email recruitment
- Text message based recruitment (coming soon)
RESEARCH STUDY DEVELOPMENT CONSULTING – specializing in protocol, consent, and budget development for non-traditional research studies (grant funded, PI initiated, quality improvement). ECRI offers feasibility assessment, implementation and operational services through consultation in the following areas:
- Recruitment for all research studies
- Clinic/Research staff orientation/training in clinical and hospital settings
- IRB, Compliance
- Patient communication and recruitment content development
- Support for projects UCLA wide, satellite locations and affiliates
- Assessment and design of clinical integrated research workflows
- Manage technical set-up of iPad devices in collaboration with UCLA ISS, UCLA DGIT, & UCLA’s Biobanking Vendor specific to The Universal Consent project for The UCLA Institute for Precision Health
- Translation of study consenting materials and other literature
POST RESEARCH STUDY IMPLEMENTATION – Provide clarity metrics and UCLA Biobanking vendor reporting, optimize study standard operating procedures, and serve as stakeholder’s liaison with clinical and department leadership.
- Data reporting
- Optimization of recruitment procedures and workflows.
- Periodic follow-up communication with stakeholders
To make an ECRI request please be prepared to answer the following:
- Are you looking for consulting only?
- Are you interested in recruitment assistance?
- Would you like to hear more about how to piggy back on the UCLA Universal Consent?
- Do you have an existing IRB?
- Would like help with a current or new IRB?
- Do you need help developing a protocol for your project?
- Do you know at this time if you need IRB, or Security and Compliance sign off?
- Do you know at this time if you need assistance from CareConnect on this project (i.e. build requests, metrics and reporting) ?
- Do you have funding for this request or are you putting in for Grant and would like to include us?
- What is your timeline to GO Live?
- What is your timeline for the extension of the need of our assistance?
Once you obtain as much details based on the questions above please email you request or inquiries to:
or contact:
Project Request Electronic Forms coming soon…
- Management and implementation of operations, and servicing of the UCLA wide Universal Consent project (in clinic, MyChart, text messaging coming soon) https://www.uclahealth.org/precision-health/atlas
- Servicing the Institute for Precision Health projects and related sub-studies
- Servicing recruitment and implementation of patient facing aspects of UCLA’s Center For Smart Health research studies https://www.cs.ucla.edu/center-for-smart-health/
- Servicing recruitment and implementation of The Depression Grand Challenge Project https://grandchallenges.ucla.edu/depression/
- Other recruitment support provided to various studies via our innovative recruitment methods and patient outreach networks
- Recruitment and implementation for all studies that are part of the California and nationwide Athena Breast Health Network. http://www.athenacarenetwork.org/home
To inquire about ECRI services, please send your request or questions to ECRIrequest@mednet.ucla.edu or contact ECRI director, Antonia Petruse at apetruse@mednet.ucla.edu or call office line at (310) 794-0367.