Vanderbilt’s Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences has launched the Vanderbilt Clinical Trials Radiology Support Core.
The core will provide broad administrative support services for imaging performed within Vanderbilt clinical trials. It has been developed in close collaboration with the Office of Research and the Clinical Trials Billing Compliance office.
The core will manage the imaging-related clinical trial review and research order creation for Vanderbilt University Hospital, The Vanderbilt Clinic, Vanderbilt Orthopaedic Institute, Vanderbilt Imaging Services, the Breast Center at Vanderbilt Health One Hundred Oaks and the Center for Women’s Imaging. Development of core structures for other imaging facilities is under consideration.
Services provided through the core will include clinical trial protocol review, site qualification, study design consultation, establishment of specialized imaging acquisition protocols and post-processing. The core’s team includes personnel from each imaging modality. Its collaborative study review process will help to ensure accurate billing of study procedures and acquisition of appropriate imaging scans.
“This new core resource will streamline the workflow for clinical trials imaging, promote quicker and more efficient study initiation and reduce protocol deviations,” said Richard Abramson, M.D., who will serve as medical director for the core.
The core’s manager, Carrie McGhee, R.T., added: “Although there is a great deal of work ahead, I am very excited to take on the challenge. I am hopeful that the new processes we have developed will be a welcomed improvement. Aside from creating a single point of contact for researchers, the new methods will add transparency and efficiency. I look forward to working more closely with researchers and building this core into a solid resource for the Vanderbilt clinical trials community.”
Beginning August 2015, all administrative support services offered by the Clinical Trials Radiology Support Core will be associated with fees based on services rendered. Fees will be charged through the Office of Research CORES/iLab system on a monthly basis.
For more information, please go to https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/radiology-support-core/ or contact Carrie McGhee at radiologysupportcore@vanderbilt.edu or 615-322-6886.
