Embedded Clinical Research and Innovation Unit (ECRI)

Tools available to UCLA’s Epic to provide research recruitment assistance that streamlines and enhances the process of identifying, recruiting, and managing participants for clinical studies. These tools are integrated within the Epic EHR system, leveraging existing patient data and clinical workflows.

Please reference this document for more detailed information: https://uclahs.az1.qualtrics.com/CP/File.php?F=F_7ZKLq6DUREtfY7I

MyChart Messages: Send secure messages directly to patients' MyChart accounts, inviting them to participate in studies. This tool is efficient for reaching large candidate populations.

Reporting Workbench Report: Generate a list of patients within CareConnect to identify patients who qualify for a study based on provided eligibility criteria.

Real-Time Notification: Receive email, page, or InBasket messages when patients meet eligibility criteria for a study, suitable for time-sensitive enrollments or interventions.

Provider-Facing BPA: Display on-screen alerts to clinicians during clinic visits, notifying them of patient eligibility for research studies.

• Integration: Seamless integration with EHR ensures that all relevant patient data is easily accessible and current.
• Efficiency: Automates many aspects of the recruitment process, saving time and resources.
• Accuracy: Reduces errors and enhances the precision of patient selection through automated matching and comprehensive data analysis.
• Engagement: Improves patient engagement through direct communication channels like MyChart.
• Compliance: Ensures that recruitment processes comply with regulatory requirements by using secure and validated systems.

Overall, Epic's research recruitment tools provide significant advantages in terms of efficiency, accuracy, and patient engagement, ultimately facilitating more effective and streamlined clinical research efforts.

For research recruitment ECRI is the only dedicated team that is approved by IRB to send out MyChart blasts. This is required to ensure that ethical guidelines are followed when contacting potential participants for research recruitment. To utilize MyChart for research recruitment, approval must be received by the CareConnect Research Recruitment Committee.

82% of our 4.8 million patients are active on MyChart.

Yes, we can accommodate more than one cohort for an additional fee.

Up to 5% of patients contacted will enroll.

Up to 10% of patients contacted will enroll.

Yes, we can configure the messages to come to each user in any of the three formats (page, email, CareConnect InBasket message).

CareConnect research recruitment tools are available for use by UCLA researchers conducting studies involving UCLA patients. These tools cannot be used for non-UCLA patients or healthy cohorts. If a study team is a part of a multi-site study, as long as a Principal Investigator (PI) is affiliated with UCLA Health, the study team can utilize CareConnect research recruitment tools.

The common search criteria include demographic factors such as age, race/ethnicity, language, and marital status, as well as diagnosis codes (ICD-9 & ICD-10), visit types, encounter departments, admission status, lab result values, and medications. However, it's important to note that the tools cannot search through free text documentation or scanned documents.

Contact ECRI right away to assure that services are not canceled at ECRIRequest@mednet.ucla.edu

1. Submitting a Qualtrics form.
2. A feasibility consultation with ECRI.
3. Submitting for IRB approval.
4. ECRI presents on behalf of the project to get approval from the CareConnect Research Recruitment Committee.
5. Signing a Statement of Work (SOW) with ECRI.
6. Submitting a ticket for tool building.
7. Completing a Data Use Agreement if needed.
8. A tool handoff meeting with the CareConnect analyst.

If interested in using CareConnect research recruitment tools, fill out: https://uclahs.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8G7lHnOQEbYONaS

Yes, there are estimated fees associated with tool requests. Each standard tool request is an estimated one-time fee of $2,500, while custom/advanced builds can increase up to $5,000 per tool. Additionally, there's a one-time project management setup fee of $438. For MyChart tools, there's a $91 fee per message blast. For MyChart Non-Standard Messaging tool only, there is an additional $91 per month fee for managing patient inquiries. 

After the tool is built out, the ECRI team will send out an invoice. Study team will need to provide contact information for their finance manager for payment processing.

Submit an intake form prior to the feasibility consultation: https://uclahs.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8G7lHnOQEbYONaS

You will be prompted to attach your study protocol, study IRB application (if approved at time of submission), and study Informed Consent Form as well as other basic study information such as inclusion/exclusion criteria, expected recruitment dates, challenges recruitment, etc. 

Review the information sent out via email prior to the consultation and discuss which tool might be the best fit for your needs.

Ideally, at least one person on the study team would have CareConnect access. However, ECRI can forward interested messages from the MyChart Recruitment Messaging tool, but fees may be associated. CareConnect access is required to use Reporting Workbench Report, Real-Time Notifications, and Provider-Facing BPA tools.

You must be affiliated with UCLA Health to receive CareConnect access. Complete the required live trainings, submit an access request form, and get sign off from a PI and manager.

If changes or modifications are required for a built-out tool, the team needs to submit a Change Request Form. Depending on the request, associated fees may apply. The ECRI team will review the request and notify the study team of any costs involved. Please see the following link to find the Change Request Form: https://uclahs.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eQagl4PNlEhcB9Q

If there are other staff changes, please ensure that new staff members are IRB-approved and submit a Change Request Form here: https://uclahs.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eQagl4PNlEhcB9Q

Embedded Clinical Research and Innovation (ECRI) Unit (CTSI) manages intake process for all requests, feasibility review, point of contact for research teams for all Research Recruitment build requests in CareConnect. Designated group to send out MyChart research recruitment bulk messaging blasts.

The committee is responsible for reviewing and approving requests to use CareConnect Research Recruitment tools, ensuring that all requests comply with IRB guidelines and are feasible with the CareConnect Research team.

Works with ECRI and study teams to build each customized study specific recruitment tool so that it meets inclusion and exclusion criteria, RCC test/validates tool and pushes it to production.

CareConnect is UCLA’s electronic health record (EHR) program, that is also known as Epic. The system offers several tools for research recruitment that utilize the EHR data stored here.

DUA: Data Use Agreement. A Data Use Agreement (DUA) is a legally binding contract that outlines the terms and conditions under which data can be accessed, used, and shared. It governs the use of data that may contain sensitive or confidential information, such as personal health information (PHI) or proprietary research data. It is necessary for CC tools that utilize electronic health record (EHR) data.

SOW: Statement of Work. A Statement of Work is a signed agreement to outline scope, deliverables, and resources needed for a project. Typically, the ECRI team will generate an SOW document for both parties to sign prior to the build of the tool, but after IRB approval of the tool.

Smart data fields in Epic/CareConnect are structured data elements that capture key clinical information, such as vital signs, medications, allergies, and lab results. They integrate seamlessly within the EHR, supporting real-time clinical decision-making, reporting, and data analysis. They do not capture free-text clinician notes nor scanned documents.

For any further inquiries or assistance, please contact the ECRI team at ECRIRequest@mednet.ucla.edu.