Director's Message
Happy New Year! Over the next few months, UCSD Health will launch new clinical research features in its Epic electronic health record (EHR) system. This will begin the shift from the eVelos clinical trial management system to UCSD’s Epic EHR. ACTRI’s Biomedical Informatics team, Moores Cancer Center (MCC), and UCSD Health Information Systems began partnering on the transition last year. Over 150 faculty and staff are contributing to the project through six user-centered workgroups.
Enhancements for research teams include streamlined billing and documentation dashboards. Clinical trial participants’ upgraded usability features in MyChart include research appointments and the ability to opt-in to queries related to new clinical trials. More than just convenience, the safety of participants will be enhanced by streamlining the reporting of adverse events and potential drug interactions and visibility - even with blinded studies.
The transition will roll out in three phases and phase 1 is already complete, with the enhanced functionalities implemented for several MCC studies. Right away, a patient at MCC was matched up and enrolled in one of the trials within a day of their first visit, thanks to the integration with MyChart. This is an example of how the upgrade will benefit the research teams and patients seeking cutting edge treatment! We will be tracking the rollout and impact on our clinical trialists.
Another key activity is the ACTRI clinic support of the pediatric Moderna vaccine. This comes after our multidisciplinary team ensured success of the adult Moderna vaccine clinical trial last year. There are three separate age groups that can participate (ages 12-16, 2-11, and 6 months to 2 years) and the goal is to enroll a total of at least 120 participants. Clinic staff is working collaboratively with PI Dr. Stephen Spector and his team, the ACTRI coordinators, and the investigational pharmacy to expedite staffing, scheduling, and pharmacy services. About 80 study participants have been successfully enrolled to date.
The launch of the vaccine study comes despite an incredibly busy clinic. As with the adult vaccine trial, a key to the success is communication and flexibility. Though a challenging and complex study, everyone involved understands the importance it will have on public health. ACTRI is proud to be a part of such this critical study and we look forward to further promoting science and improved health outcomes.
Gary S. Firestein, MD, Director of ACTRI
Distinguished Professor of Medicine
Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences
