Recruitment Resources
The purpose of clinical research is to gather data and answer questions that will be used to improve human health. However, slow participant accrual can result in studies closing prior to completion or remaining open past intended completion dates. These accrual challenges can thereby expose participants and volunteers to potential study risks without contributing any new knowledge to the questions being addressed.
To help overcome these challenges, ITHS has developed this repository of useful tools and resources to support research teams in the design and execution of clinical studies that successfully meet accrual goals.
FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Feasibility Assessment Tools
Patient Cohort Identification
The ITHS Biomedical Informatics team extracts useful data from electronic medical records to assist with patient cohort identification, trial recruitment, feasibility determination, study design, and more.
Research Study Feasibility Assessment Tool
A tool to help assess whether a new study is a good fit for you and your team.
STUDY RECRUITMENT SITES
Study Recruitment Sites
Participate in Research
Participate in Research offers researchers a centralized, coordinated resource to connect with potential study participants. The registration process to post new research studies is free, open to any member of the research team, and takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Once a study is approved to post, the research team will be contacted directly by potential participants who visit Participate in Research.
ResearchMatch
ResearchMatch is an online, nationwide registry of potential research volunteers sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. Through the site, researchers at the University of Washington can search for and contact registered volunteers who are a good match for their research studies. For access, please contact the ITHS Research Navigator, who serves as the ResearchMatch Liaison.
ITHS Partner Recruitment Sites
The study recruitment sites for our institutional partners can be accessed by visiting the following links.
PATIENT REGISTRIES
Patient Registries
Harborview Medical Center Madison Clinic and the University of Washington Virology Clinic Registry
The UW HIV Information System (UWHIS) contains clinical information on HIV patients seen since January 1, 1995, at the Harborview Medical Center’s Madison Clinic and University of Washington Medical Center’s Virology Clinic.
Center for Aids Research – HIV Negative Registry
The HIV Negative Registry is a registry of at-risk, HIV-negative individuals who are interested in participating in HIV-related research.
Center for Aids Research – HIV Research Study Participant Screening and Referral
The Clinical and Retrovirology Research Core supports recruitment into clinical and pathogenesis research studies. This occurs through triage and referral of eligible HIV-infected patients via a dedicated research nurse at the Harborview and University of Washington HIV Clinics.
Fred Hutch Cancer Surveillance System
The Cancer Surveillance System (CSS) collects population-based data on cancer incidence and survival in 13 counties in western Washington State.
Virginia Mason’s Cancer Registry
The Virginia Mason Cancer Registry contains information on diagnosis and treatment information on all cancer patients diagnosed and/or treated at any of its medical centers.
University of Washington Alzheimer Disease Patient Registry (ADRC)
The ADRC is a registry of individuals who are interested in participating in research related to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
University of Washington Communications Studies Participant Pool
The Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences maintains a database of people who have expressed interest in volunteering for studies related to communication and human development.
ITHS RECRUITMENT RESOURCES
ITHS Recruitment Resources
Patient Cohort Finder and Clinical Data Extraction
Is your study trying to identify UW Medicine patients who could be potential study participants? The ITHS biomedical informatics team supports a variety of research that leverages the data contained within electronic medical records at UW Medicine and partner sites, including creating real-time alerts to support patient recruitment.
Research Coordinator Recruitment Staff
Need support with recruiting, screening, and consenting study participants? Research coordination services at ITHS, Fred Hutch, and Seattle Children’s can provide your team with trained research support on a fee-for-service basis.
Bioethics Consultations
Do you have ethical questions related to patient recruitment? Bioethics consultants at ITHS are available to assist you.
Call Center Recruitment (Fred Hutch)
Looking for someone to administer surveys? Do you need Spanish/English translator services? The Collaborative Data Services Interviewing Core works with investigators to administer survey instruments; collect and record specific information for scientists and statisticians; and maintain data integrity.
Primary Care Research Network
Are you looking to conduct your research in community-based primary care clinics? Gather the perspectives of primary care clinicians? The WWAMI-region Practice and Research Network (WPRN) offers investigators the tools and connections needed to conduct collaborative research in primary care clinics.
Clinical Research Centers Network
Are you looking for regional health system sites for a clinical trial? The Northwest Participant & Clinical Interactions (NW PCI) Network offers an opportunity to collaborate with clinicians across the WWAMI region, access diverse inpatient and outpatient populations, and conduct clinical research in real-world settings.
ONLINE RECRUITMENT TOOLKITS
Online Recruitment Toolkits
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ClinRegs
ClinRegs is an online database of country-specific clinical research regulatory information designed to save time and effort in planning and implementing clinical research.
Recruitment Strategizing Worksheet
A worksheet to help think through and access recruitment options to reach your target population.
RECRUITMENT REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
Recruitment Regulatory Requirements
The Institutional Review Boards for each of our partner institutions can be accessed by visiting the following links.
- University of Washington Human Subjects Division
- Fred Hutch Institutional Review Office
- Seattle Children’s Institutional Review Board
The National Institutes of Health offers a number of resources for researchers who are involved in human subjects research. Visit the NIH site.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also offers guidance on recruiting study subjects. Visit the FDA site.
RECRUITMENT HOW-TOs
Recruitment How Tos
ITHS faculty and staff periodically provide guidance and suggestions on how to best overcome recruitment barriers. A selection of topics for these how-to guides include:
CONTACT US
Contact Us
Want More?
ITHS offers recruitment consulting services to provide strategic, project-specific recruitment advice.
Access recruitment support service