Category
Communication
Sponsored Projects/Research
Submitted By
Archana Mande, archana.mande@cuanschutz.edu, CTRC Protocol Specialist
Project Team
Archana Mande, archana.mande@cuanschutz.edu, CTRC Protocol Specialist
Janine Higgins, PhD, janine.higgins@childrenscolorado.org, Director of Operations
Thomas Yaeger, thomas.yaeger@cuanschutz.edu, Director of Informatics Services
Christopher Caldwell, christopher.m.caldwell@cuanschutz.edu, CCTSI Web Developer
Jennifer Cathcart, jennifer.cathcart@cuanschutz.edu, CTRC Scheduling Manager
Diane Branham, diane.branham@uchealth.org, CTRC Nurse Manager
Melanie Tsosie, melanie.tsosie@cuanschutz.edu, CCTSI Informatics Manager
Project Description
The Clinical Translational Research Center (CTRC) used an innovative technological solution to enhance customer (participant) experience, improve regulatory compliance, and maximize efficiency. The CTRC conducts >5,500 research visits/year, which require study- and visit-specific procedures performed by study or CTRC staff at separate times. Initially, workflows necessitated that study and CTRC staff physically locate each other and communicate verbally, causing inefficiency and possible compliance risk due to use of participant names in hallways. To remedy this, we uploaded information from an existing scheduling app (CTRC Scheduler) into Office365 to create a new electronic visit status dashboard, which displays participant initials, study number, and room assignment. It uses a six color system, updating every 45 seconds, to indicate current visit status (roomed, need nurse, etc), which alerts the right team member at the right time. The dashboard is displayed on screens throughout the clinic, and with authorization, is accessible on mobile devices for convenience.
Project Efficiency
Coordinated communication and workflows between CTRC and study staff are crucial for high-quality, compliant research, and a positive participant (customer) experience. The electronic dashboard facilitates real-time communication among team members and reduces manual workload by utilizing current resources; CTRC Scheduler, Office365 Power apps, and electronic screens. We translated asynchronous processes into a unified workflow using an innovative technological tool, leading to improved efficiency (complex visit duration decreased 38% post-implementation), customer service (90% vs 85% pre-implementation), and regulatory compliance. This system could be modified to improve the communication and efficiency of teams in many other settings, especially for remote workers.
Project Inspiration
The adult CTRC caters to over 300 research protocols and moved to new space in April 2022. We seized this opportunity to remedy the long-standing problem of inefficient communication and workflows surrounding research visit status. Research visits require complex interactions between CTRC staff with technical skills (nursing, ultrasound, APPs, nutritionists) and study staff with dedicated knowledge of their own protocols. Given the large number of study staff that utilize the CTRC, any solution needed to be simple, easy to access, and provide real-time visit status so that the right person could be present at the right time during the visit.
What Makes You Happiest about this Project?
There are 930 users of the electronic visit status dashboard with more added daily. Through this novel, home-grown technological tool, team members come together seamlessly to complete study visits without unnecessary movement around the clinic, creating a quieter, calmer environment. The dashboard has also heightened regulatory compliance and improved customer satisfaction of participants, who are voluntarily donating their time to research, by decreasing the wait time for staff to perform study procedures. Improving the efficiency and work conditions for both study and CTRC staff and honoring the time that participants generously donate to research makes us very happy!