OHSU

Frequently Asked Questions

The partnership between Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (KPCHR) brings together an innovative managed care organization and an academic medical center that offers a robust range of scientific expertise and extensive laboratory capabilities. KPCHR facilitates access to a large member population and can leverage both sophisticated bioinformatics capabilities and long-standing prowess in population-based research.

The following FAQ helps to explain what the partnership means for investigators at both institutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research and how does it relate to Kaiser Permanente Northwest?

Kaiser Permanente Northwest (KPNW) is a primary care health maintenance organization that is one of nine Kaiser Permanente regions in the United States.  The Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (KPCHR) is the home and entrance point for clinical research within KPNW.

Kaiser Permanente Northwest (KPNW) is an integrated, not-for-profit health maintenance organization that serves more than 480,000 members in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington.  It is organized around a group model and coordinates the entire scope of care for its members.  KPNW’s data systems are accessible to KPCHR researchers for research purposes; all members are informed of this as part of their membership agreement, and members can elect to be excluded from research.

The Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (KPCHR) is an independent, non-profit research organization conducting academic research to improve health care and inform health policy.  There are 51 clinical and population researchers at KPCHR who conduct professionally independent research within the managed-care context of KPNW.

What resources can investigators access at Kaiser through this partnership?

Investigators who are interested in conducting research in partnership with KPCHR should identify a scientific collaborator at KPCHR. OCTRI can help investigators who are looking for KPCHR collaborators. (Browse a list of KPCHR investigators.) When a collaborative research team has been formed, OCTRI can provide comprehensive study start-up and implementation assistance. 

What resources and services are available at OHSU through this partnership?

At OHSU, OCTRI offers a wide variety of services, including support for investigators who are submitting a funding application, fulfilling compliance requirements, implementing a study, and analyzing data. Browse a complete list of OCTRI services. OCTRI services are provided by eight infrastructure programs.  Information about specific programs is available here.

Also see:
What resources can investigators access at Kaiser through this partnership?
How does OCTRI assist researchers with the IRB process at OHSU or KPNW?

Do investigators have to be involved in an OHSU-KPCHR collaboration to access OCTRI resources?

No. OCTRI encourages and facilitates collaborations among investigators from both institutions, but OCTRI does not require any specific type of collaboration in order to receive Pilot Project funding or access OCTRI resources at either institution.

Also see:

Do I need to go through OCTRI if I want to collaborate across the institutions?
What is the best way for OHSU investigators to do research at Kaiser Permanente?
What is the best way for KPCHR investigators to do research at OHSU?

Who can apply for OCTRI Pilot Project funding?

OHSU and KPCHR investigators can apply for OCTRI Pilot Project funding. The Funding Opportunities page contains information about previous funded Pilot Projects, a description of project requirements, and details about the online application process.

Do I need to go through OCTRI if I want to collaborate across the institutions?

If you are an OHSU investigator and you do not have an existing relationship with an investigator at KPCHR (see a complete list of KPCHR investigators here), you must go through OCTRI. Contact the Front Door.

If you are a KPCHR investigator collaborating with an OHSU investigator, you need to contact contact OCTRI if you plan to use resources or research services. Browse a complete list of OCTRI services.

Also see:
What is the best way for OHSU investigators to do research at Kaiser?
What is the best way for KPCHR investigators to do research at OHSU?

What is the best way for OHSU investigators to do research at Kaiser Permanente?

OCTRI can help OHSU investigators who are interested in conducting research at Kaiser Permanente or with a KPCHR investigator.  Because each research project is unique and because OCTRI is the officially designated gateway for OHSU-based research seeking to access Kaiser Permanente, investigators from OHSU should contact the Front Door before pursuing a Kaiser Permanente-related research idea.

To lay the groundwork for innovative new projects in clinical and translational research, OCTRI regularly sponsors seminars and retreats that bring together OHSU and KPCHR researchers with complementary research interests.  OCTRI also facilitates interest groups in areas such as chronic pain and obesity. Learn more about retreats and interest groups.

OCTRI encourages OHSU and KPNW investigators to establish connections with one another, and it can provide valuable services for exiting teams.  For any project that proposes to access OCTRI resources, investigators must consult the Front Door for assistance with budget development.

Also see:
Do I need to go through OCTRI if I want to collaborate across the institutions?

What is the best way for KPCHR investigators to do research at OHSU?

If investigators do not already have an OHSU collaborator, they should submit a simple online request for OCTRI's identifying Collaborator service  Each research project is unique and OCTRI staff may need additional information in order to identify potential collaborators.

Additionally, OCTRI sponsors regular seminars and retreats that bring together OHSU and KPCHR researchers with similar, complementary, and overlapping research interests to lay the groundwork for innovative new projects in clinical and translational research.  OCTRI also facilitates interest groups in areas such as chronic pain and obesity. Learn more about retreats and interest groups.

OCTRI encourages KPCHR investigators to independently establish connections with OHSU researchers. For investigators who already have a collaborator at OHSU, OCTRI can provide important services as the research team formulates a proposal. If the project involves OCTRI services, investigators should submit an online request for a letter of support and OCTRI cost estimate to ensure that OCTRI resources are appropriately budgeted for and accurately represented.

Also see:
Do I need to go through OCTRI if I want to collaborate across the institutions?

What kinds of legal and other agreements are required to do a joint project involving KPCHR and OHSU?

The specific agreements required for a joint project depend on the specific activities in the project.  Examples of agreements include legal agreements, such as contracts, grant subcontracts, or material transfer agreements if money, data or materials are being transferred between institutions. Data use agreements are necessary if fully identified or partially identified data will be shared.  Contact the Front Door for assistance in determining what agreements are needed and how to get them in place.

Also see:
How can OCTRI assist investigators throughout the IRB process at OHSU or KPNW?

Are the costs to conduct research different at KPCHR and OHSU?

The costs to conduct research at KPCHR are the same for all investigators, regardless of the home institution.

OHSU and KPCHR are different research environments, and investigators should be aware that their assumptions about cost may be incorrect when applied to a different institution. For example, population studies can be very expensive relative to controlled trials.  Because Kaiser Permanente is a healthcare-delivery system, not an academic institution, it does not have a large pool of post-docs, medical students, and department-funded staff, which can make its direct labor costs higher than OHSU’s.

Investigators should contact the Front Door to assess project feasibility and obtain cost estimates before they embark on an OHSU-KPCHR research project.

Also see:

Are the KPCHR and OHSU indirect rates (facilities and administrative cost) the same?

Are the KPCHR and OHSU indirect rates (facilities and administrative cost) the same?

No, each institution maintains separate indirect rates.

The KPCHR indirect rate is 58%. As a policy, KPCHR cannot adjust or waive indirect costs. For educational grants and other awards that contain NIH-imposed limits on indirect costs, please consult the OCTRI Front Door.

The OHSU indirect rate is 54%. OHSU allows investigators to submit applications with adjusted indirect rates. Adjusted indirect rates are approved on a case-by-case basis.

Indirect costs include administrative costs and facilities costs. Facilities costs cover things such as building maintenance, utilities, building mortgage and/or rent, administrative support, financial services, library services, general supplies, and information technology.

Also see:

Are the costs to conduct research different at KPCHR and OHSU?

Are the Institutional Review Boards at OHSU and KPNW linked?

The Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) at OHSU and KPNW are distinct boards, but they coordinate closely through OCTRI, and are committed to supporting the smooth review of OHSU-KPCHR collaborative studies.

The OCTRI Investigator Support and Integration Services (ISIS) program has partnered with IRB leadership at both institutions to examine and improve the IRB process for investigators. Some of the agreements achieved to date include:

Also see:

What are the similarities and notable differences between the OHSU & KPNW IRBs?
How can OCTRI assist investigators throughout the IRB process at OHSU or KPNW?

What are the similarities and notable differences between the OHSU and KPNW IRBs?

Both IRBs are subject to the same federal regulations and state laws regarding human subjects protection.  However, their applications use different forms and there may be institution-specific requirements.

There are also differences in administrative procedures. For example, the KPNW IRB has a monthly deadline. Complete submissions received by the first working day of the month will be reviewed on the third Wednesday of that same month. The OHSU IRB, which has four boards (as opposed to one for KPNW), accepts submissions continually and places them on the next available meeting agenda, usually within a month.

Also see:

Are the Institutional Review Boards at OHSU and KPNW linked?
How can OCTRI assist investigators throughout the IRB process at OHSU or KPNW?
OHSU IRB page
KPNW IRB page

How can OCTRI assist researchers throughout the IRB process at OHSU or KPNW?

The OCTRI Investigator Support and Integration Services (ISIS) program has regulatory associates highly experienced in working with the OHSU and KPNW IRBs. With any joint OHSU-KPCHR study, input should be obtained from OCTRI compliance staff to anticipate as many potential IRB issues as possible.

Navigating the IRB process can be complicated, and you don't have to become an expert of the regulations to proceed successfully. You can have a better experience by tapping OCTRI's expertise.  See below for a list of compliance services offered by OCTRI.

  • Preparation of applications to both OHSU and KPNW IRBs.
  • Consultations on IRB issues and advice on study design related to human subjects protection issues.
  • Advice on whether single IRB review is possible for a joint OHSU-KPCHR study, as well as which IRB would be the most appropriate.
  • Assistance in obtaining approval to serve as the PI at the partner institution.
  • Instructions on how to submit human subjects protection training records to the partner IRB.
Also see:

Are the Institutional Review Boards at OHSU and KPCHR linked?
What are the similarities and notable differences between the IRBs?
What resources are supported by the OCTRI grant at KPCHR?

Do KPNW and OHSU have the same medical records system?

OHSU and Kaiser Permanente Northwest both use the Epic medical records system. Although the same vendor provides both systems, each institution has tailored its individual implementation to suit different business processes.  Thus, significant differences exist between the two systems. For example, Kaiser Permanente may assign different names to certain variables, and OHSU might collect data that Kaiser Permanente does not.

Also see:

How can investigators access data in the medical records systems for research purposes? 

How can investigators access data in the medical records systems for research purposes?

Electronic Medical Records such as Epic are optimized for accessing data about a single patient’s healthcare.  Data warehouses, however, are organized to allow for quick aggregation of millions of patient records, and they can be queried to answer a variety of research questions. For example, how many patients with asthma had an Emergency Department visit in calendar year 2007?

For research purposes, OHSU and KPCHR maintain their own data warehouses that consolidate data from multiple databases, including Epic. OCTRI is the home of OHSU’s Research Data Warehouse (RDW), and KPCHR maintains a data warehouse for all of Kaiser Permanente Northwest. (See What is the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research and how does it relate to Kaiser Permanente Northwest?)

OCTRI research staff at OHSU and KPCHR have the ability to run queries in their respective warehouses. During a study’s formation and proposal phases, investigators can use the warehouses to obtain de-identified data sets that can be used for developing estimates of likely cost, sample size, etc.  Additionally, the KPCHR data warehouse can be used to identify tissue samples. Investigators with IRB-approved protocols can use the warehouses to conduct data-only studies or, for an interventional study, to select and recruit an eligible population.

Investigators are encouraged to take advantage of OHSU RDW and the KPCHR data warehouse as appropriate for their project. To inquire about these services, please contact the OCTRI Front Door.

To find out more about the possibilities of running queries in both the KPNW and OHSU warehouses, please see: Are the OHSU and KPCHR data warehouses connected?

Are the OHSU and KPCHR data warehouses connected?

The OHSU and KPCHR warehouses are not currently connected. OCTRI has an ongoing project to create a Virtual Data Warehouse (VDW) that aims to produce combined query results from both KPCHR’s and OHSU’s separate data warehouses.

The vision of the joint VDW is to provide an integrated data set between OHSU’s and KPCHR’s separate warehouses. Programmers and analysts are currently standardizing the semantics and syntax of each variable so that a query run in OHSU’s warehouse can be run with the same language in KPNW’s system. The final result will be an integrated data set drawn from both warehouses.

As with the separate data warehouses, the VDW will allow investigators to obtain de-identified data sets that can be used for estimating costs, sharing data across entities, and finding eligible participants or tissues. Investigators with IRB-approved protocols will be able to use the VDW to select a population based on eligibility requirements and use the data for recruitment.

Also see:

Do KPNW and OHSU have the same medical records system?
How can investigators access data in the medical records systems for research purposes?