Are unit-based research centers the next big thing?
Are unit-based research centers the next big thing?
Collaboration is first step
Research institutions with unit-based research centers will more efficiently meet the needs of their specific research populations and investigators, an expert says.
"If you plug in a system in which you have research advocates or an organization within that unit then your researchers can go to the center and get all the information they need for that specific population," says Lisa Golec, RRT, BSc, MHSM, clinical research coordinator at the neonatal intensive care unit at Sunnybrook and Women’s College Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Canada. Golec has spoken about establishing unit-based research centers at North American research conferences.
The institution’s unit-based research center was formed about five years ago, after years in which research was conducted without any organizational framework, Golec says. Now the unit-based research center has 11 ongoing studies of which the majority were initiated by the center’s own investigators, Golec says.
Why the move to unit based research? The unit-based research center helps keeps all parties well informed. She offers as an example their role in a neonatal medical center where the potential research population is a captive audience because the patients will be there with their families for weeks to months. "The families are stressed out because they didn’t anticipate premature delivery," Golec says. "Then the mother is recovering from delivery, and they’re frequently approached about many different studies."
A cancer patient might be asked once about clinical trial participation, families with prematurely born infants might be asked to enroll in studies as many as five times, Golec says.
"It’s striking that balance of not taking advantage of them because they’re a captive audience and giving them the autonomy to not do the study," Golec says.
This is where a unit-based research center plays a defining role. "We are able to meet the needs of the investigator and the family because we attempt to set a system in place that is going to be protective of the family and their ethical rights. And we’re also tuned into the bedside caregiver’s opinions," Golec says.
"I know of one center where they don’t have a system like this in place, and they have a physician who finds out his patient was enrolled in a surgery study, but he didn’t know anything about it," Golec says. "The investigator approached the family, but didn’t tell the attending physician."
Golec offers these tips to setting up a unit-based research center:
• Create a realistic budget and expectations.
"Research is an expensive business, and you have to have the infrastructure and administration set up," Golec says.
"Sometimes people bite off more than they can chew, so you have to start small, taking one or two projects, see how they go and then expand from there," Golec advises. "If you’re compelled to take on more research, it evolves into too much and the whole thing will implode."
It's wiser to start small, putting a great deal of heart and energy into a couple of projects, and work toward success with those, Golec adds.
Then a site can build upon those successful experiences, sticking to the same areas of research, which will minimize the learning curve, she says. "A lot of people underestimate the amount of work that goes into the study before it starts," she says. "The majority of research work happens before the first patient is enrolled, with the screening and preparation work."
This is why the budget for starting the research center should reflect those upfront costs, since it's less likely sponsors will provide those funds, Golec says. Eventually, a center will have to work into its contracts with sponsors adequate start-up money to support their costs, she adds.
• Provide adequate training to staff and investigators.
Golec gives investigators a package of information about research, and she’s working on beginning a two-day clinical research workshop.
"Even though our bedside staff may not be interested in becoming researchers, they’re interested in research itself, so we have education days for them with brown bag lunches," Golec says.
Sending staff to certification courses is another option. "A lot of centers that are established have training, and they will fund their staff to take certification courses," Golec notes. "I think there should be certification because it’s important for people to know this information, but part of it has to be comprehensive."
• Assist investigators with finding grant and sponsor funding.
It’s important to look at different sources of funding, finding them through word-of-mouth and other means, Golec says. "We keep our ears open," Golec explains. "If someone hears of another investigator obtaining a grant, we write it down and apply."
Golec will conduct Internet searches for investigators about grants, and she’ll attend conferences, picking up funding pamphlets at various booths.
"You may hear it through the grapevine, but you need to be dynamic because the funding bodies change their criteria, and you need to stay up to date," Golec says.
"Brand new investigators shouldn’t go after federal funding, but should get their feet wet with funding from some other sources." While a research institution always needs some outside funding for studies, it’s also important to provide some internal seed money when an investigator has a good idea because that may eventually enhance the institution’s reputation, Golec says.
Research institutions with unit-based research centers will more efficiently meet the needs of their specific research populations and investigators, an expert says.Subscribe Now for Access
You have reached your article limit for the month. We hope you found our articles both enjoyable and insightful. For information on new subscriptions, product trials, alternative billing arrangements or group and site discounts please call 800-688-2421. We look forward to having you as a long-term member of the Relias Media community.