June 23, 2005
UWise brings human subjects work online
The UW’s Human Subjects Division is leaving the “Age of Paper.” Starting March 31, the Office of Research began deploying a new electronic system for creating, routing, reviewing, and managing applications for research involving human subjects.
The new system, called UWise (University of Washington IRB Safety Extranet) was developed through the combined efforts of the Office of Research Information Services, the Human Subjects Division, ClickCommerce (a private company from which the office licensed the software), and hundreds of faculty, staff, and other end-users.
The new system features completely redesigned “smart forms” that will reduce screening time and ensure a better quality of information. One of the most common complaints the office received was that the paper application made all researchers answer the same questions regardless of the nature of the research they were doing, says Malcolm Parks, associate vice provost for research and the project leader.
“In UWise, the application that is completed, to a great extent, is determined by the kind of research being proposed,” Parks said. “Researchers and staff will be able to work from any computer with Web access. The new system should also save data entry, copy, filing, and routing time and thus reduce the overall turnaround time on applications. UWise also provides ‘just-in-time’ guidance alongside every section of the form, which we also hope will result in higher-quality applications and thus reduced screening and processing time.”
Parks noted the new system has a learning curve, especially for the review committees and their staff. “Even though initial reviews may be somewhat slower because of the learning time,” he said, “we expect some efficiencies to occur immediately.” These include the ability to instantly check the status of an application online, faster internal routing and approval and fewer lost and incomplete documents.
Faculty and research staff who have tried the system seem to like it. “I love this system . . You are to be congratulated on an original and useful tool,” said Richard Ellenbogen, chair of the Neurological Surgery Department.
Some benefits identified by Anne Buffardi, program manager for International Research in Allergy and Infectious Diseases at Harborview, include:
- cutting down on the reams of paper we submit every year,
- ensuring that the proper questions are answered,
- enabling international and other off-site collaborators to view the application, and
- making the initial approval process smoother by sending it directly to department chairs.
Buffardi and other early users identified improvements they would like to see to the system as well. Enhancements to features and functionality will continue based on recommendations and changing needs.
Deployment will occur in phases across schools, colleges, and departments over the next year. The current schedule can be found on the UWise public page, http://www.washington.edu/research/hsd/uwise/public.html.
UWise is only one of the service improvements being made by the Human Subjects Division. A new Web site, http://www.washington.edu/research/hsd/index.php, with many improved features and functionality has also been launched. The goal and intention of both changes is to facilitate communication and the flow of information.
