RESEARCH AT INOVA HEALTH SYSTEM P AGE 6
INOVA RESEARCH CENTER( IRC) The Center <strong>for</strong> Integrated Research serves as the hub <strong>for</strong> the decentralized research conducted across <strong>Inova</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>System</strong>. The Research Hub supports all Research Spokes (Research Teams) <strong>and</strong> researchers from <strong>Inova</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>System</strong>. The administrative component of the Center <strong>for</strong> Integrated Research or <strong>Inova</strong> Research Center (IRC) consists of the Business Office, IRB Administrative Office, Research Training <strong>and</strong> Education Office, Research Quality Improvement Team, Technology Transfer Desk <strong>and</strong> Contracting, Database <strong>and</strong> Support, as well as Epidemiology <strong>and</strong> Biostatistics Office. The IRC team of professionals provides support to members of the research spokes by ensuring all federal, state, <strong>and</strong> local rules are followed to generate quality research results that benefit patients, families, <strong>and</strong> the organization. RESEARCH BUSINESS OFFICE In 2009, the Business Office continued its support to the research spokes with various financial matters required to conduct research studies. Many of these routine activities concerned budgeting, financial reporting, processing research invoices, <strong>and</strong> developing study matrices. Special attention has been given to research billing compliance this year. This ef<strong>for</strong>t was overseen in conjunction with the Compliance Department to develop a process that flags research bills within the financial system. Furthermore, the review process ensures bills are appropriately assigned to payers. The process integrates ef<strong>for</strong>ts of the research spokes, financial systems, <strong>and</strong> business office to effectively review <strong>and</strong> flag research financial records. The Business Office continuously strives to streamline its processes <strong>and</strong> operations to efficiently <strong>and</strong> effectively provide support to the research spokes. On a monthly basis, program managers review financial results, which are prepared by the Business Office <strong>and</strong> include year-to-date <strong>and</strong> cumulative statistics. Additionally, matrix reviews are conducted prior to the start of research studies to ensure quality data entry <strong>for</strong> capturing research activities impacting study specific revenue <strong>and</strong> expenses. Variance reporting was introduced to the spokes to better track the expenses of the studies <strong>and</strong> the administrative cost <strong>center</strong>s. In 2009, the Business Office worked with <strong>Inova</strong> Fairfax Hospital leadership to redesign the pillar report to include both budget <strong>and</strong> actual statistics <strong>for</strong> comparison by spoke program manager <strong>and</strong> administrators. Also, the Business Office has worked with Corporate Accounting to enhance the project accounting reports from Oracle Discoverer. The Business Office team consists of C<strong>and</strong>y Conway, MBA, <strong>and</strong> Camilo ����������������������������������������������� search operations by also providing guidance regarding the purchase of capital equipment <strong>and</strong> other business functions. In 2009, our research activities increased as indicated by the number of INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD (IRB) ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE research applications submitted to the IRC <strong>and</strong> the IRB. This is due in part The goal of the Institutional Review Board is to ensure compliance with ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� the m<strong>and</strong>ates of the Federal Office of Human Research Protection. provide summaries of the activities <strong>for</strong> each of the IRC offices to highlight <strong>Inova</strong> provides research investigators with two mechanisms to review the continuous support offered by the IRC team to our investigators. <strong>and</strong> support research protocols throughout the <strong>Inova</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>System</strong>: two The IRC is managed by Gity N. Porjosh, MPH, <strong>and</strong> supported by Terry local Institutional Review Boards (IRB) <strong>and</strong> the centralized Western IRB. Castro-Perez, Sr. Administrative Assistant. The local boards (Groups A & B) are independent <strong>and</strong> supported by the IRB Administrative Office. The Western IRB is supported by a Program Manager liaison at <strong>Inova</strong>. P AGE 7 IRC
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