Working with Study Teams

Early engagement with Study Teams, Sponsors and CROs is essential for the successful delivery of a study using Health Informatics. The process around Health Informatics development can be complex so simplifying language and focusing on what the study team needs to know is essential for good engagement. The information below sets out the type of information that study teams commonly want to know to help them understand why using Health Informatics may benefit their study.

Heath Informatics and Primary Care recruitment

Health Informatics are predominantly used for research in Primary Care settings where the GP Practice is a site. They can be used for recruitment sites (i.e. consenting and recruiting patients) or for Participant Identification Centres (PICs) (i.e. they are identifying patients for the study but not recruiting patients). Searches are the most common form of Health Informatic.

Pop-ups can also be used to aid identification during clinical consultations and templates can be used to record research activity straight into the clinical record.

What does a search offer?

A more targeted search (i.e. if the study requires more participants from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, or participants of a certain age range).
A more efficient pre-screening undertaken by the participating GPs.

What does it cost?

Individual GP practices have not previously been required to have a contract for this which means they do not need to be named as a PIC site during the process of contracting or roll-out. They are simply given access to the Health Informatic(s) as well as the approved letter or text to send to patients. They are then paid via their usual contract with the research network for these service support costs (or by the sponsor for commercial studies).
Minimum PIC site set up cost is £250 plus £50 per patient recruitment (commercial costing template).

Research Feasibility

Learn how PRIDES Health Informatics can help with assessing the feasibility of your research study. Coming soon!

What do we ask the study team to do?

We ask the study teams to work with our RRDN and GP Partner staff to help build these Health Informatics and allow the lead RRDN to share and to disseminate via national platforms and GP systems. The lead RRDN develops the search, pop-up or template with the team and according to an agreed specification.

They will facilitate testing to ensure the solution works and is fit for purpose and agree the sharing method of this solutions with the study team. The study teams may be asked to agree to share the study documents too.

In some cases the study team may wish to retain ownership of a Health Informatic, in which case the Lead RRDN and the national website can reflect this process and share on the study teams website.

We hope study teams will assist with information gathering for impact and feedback evaluations.

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