Therapeutic Areas

Cardiology/Vascular Diseases
Endocrinology
Gastroenterology
Hematology
Immunology
Infections and Infectious Diseases
Internal Medicine
Musculoskeletal
Nephrology
Neurology
Obstetrics/Gynecology (Women’s Health)
Oncology
Pediatrics/Neonatology
Pharmacology/Toxicology
Trauma (Emergency, Injury, Surgery)
Urology

Center Overview

MultiCare Health System is comprised of three adult hospitals and one pediatric hospital along with over 90 out-patient clinics and primary care providers. MultiCare employs over 500 physicians including primary care providers and specialists. A major strength of the MultiCare research program is the depth and breadth of MultiCare’s integrated health network which includes nearly limitless opportunities for research in multiple settings including in-patient and out-patient settings with both adult and pediatric populations. Also important to note is the fact that MultiCare is amongst the top 3% of institutions nationwide in regard to the utilization of electronic health records (EPIC) which allows research within the System to be fully connected within in- and out-patient facilities.

The mission of the MultiCare Health System Institute for Research & Innovation is to promote, foster, and sustain the highest quality, cutting edge research within the medical system thereby advancing the quality of patient care. Since 1983, MultiCare researchers have been conducting both in- and out-patient clinical trials (Phase II and III, as well as Phase I Oncology) in a wide range of therapeutic areas. Our staff includes 15 full time, experienced coordinators and research assistants to include a tenured RN, six Medical Assistants, seven certified clinical research coordinators, a full-time regulatory document specialist, a senior PharmD, and certified physician inbestigator research supervisor, and a research manager. We work with a host of experienced investigators specializing in a variety of therapeutic areas. MultiCare maintains a 24-hour pharmacy, lab, and radiology services.

Recognizing the importance of expedient study start-up, we are able to work with central IRBs and are committed to a swift contract and budget review. All budgets and contracts are reviewed concurrently with IRB review. We pride ourselves in our ability to expedite study commencement and provide exceptional research staff.

Clinical Research Experience

MultiCare Health System has been conducting research since 1983. MultiCare researchers have been engaged in the following types of clinical research:

• Anesthesiology
• Cardiology
• Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Emergency Medicine
• Endocrinology & Metabolism
• General Surgery
• Gynecologic Surgery
• Hematology
• Infectious Disease
• Internal Medicine
• Interventional Radiology
• Medical Oncology
• Phase I Oncology
• Pulmonology
• Neurology
• Urology
• Women's Health

We have partnered with the following Sponsors and CROs:

• Abbott Labs
• Abbott Vascular Inc.
• Accelerated Community Oncology Research Network, Inc. (ACORN)
• Accuray, Inc
• Allergan Sales, LLC
• Allergy Therapeutics
• Amgen, Inc.
• Anthera Pharmaceuticals
• AP Pharma
• AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
• Asubio
• Aveo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Averion
• Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
• Beardsworth
• Berlex, Inc.
• Biogen-Idec
• Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Boston Scientific Corporation
• Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
• C5Research
• Celgene Corporation
• Cell Therapeutics, Inc.
• Cephalon
• Cerexa
• Clinimetrics
• Covance
• CTMS Trial Management Reporting
• Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.
• Dey Pharmaceuticals
• Duke University Clinical Research Institute
• Eisai Inc.
• EMD Serono, Inc.
• Forest Laboratories, Inc.
• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
• Genentech, Inc.
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Globus Medical, Inc.
• HeartFlow, Inc.
• Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.
• ICON (Novelos)
• Ingenix Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
• Innocoll
• Insys Therapeutics, Inc.
• Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, LLC
• Kendle International Inc.
• Lilly USA, LLC
• Market Strategies, Inc.
• MDS Pharma
• Medical Carbon Research Institute, LLC
• Medical University of South Carolina
• Medicines Co
• Medicure
• Medifacts
• MedPace Inc.
• Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
• Merck & Co.
• Micro Therapeutics, Inc. dba ev3 Neurovascular
• Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
• Novo Nordisk
• Ockham Development
• Omnicare
• Otsuka Laboratories
• Outcome Sciences, Inc.
• Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Parexel International, LLC
• Partners
• Peninsula Pharmaceuticals
• Pfizer
• PharmaNet, LLC
• Pharmatech Oncology, Inc.
• PPD Development, LP
• PRA International
• Premier Research
• Roche
• Roxane Laboratories
• Quintiles / Innovex
• Sanofi Aventis
• Sapphire Therapeutics dba Rejuvenon
• Schering Corporation / Merck
• Scios, Inc.
• Seattle Genetics, Inc.
• SkyePharma Inc.
• STA-4783
• Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Synchronicity
• Takeda Pharmaceuticals
• Telik Inc
• Teva Pharmaceutical Products R&D, Inc.
• The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc.
• Tranzyme Pharmaceuticals
• United Biosource
• University of Massachusetts
• University of Washington
• William Beaumont Hospital (PAMI Coordinating Center)
• Worldwide Clinical Trials
• XenoPort

Facility Description

MultiCare offers both in-patient and out-patient facilities to include three adult hospitals, one pediatric hospital, and numerous primary care and specialty clinics. The Institute's primary office is located at 314 Martin Luther King, Jr Way, Suite 402, Tacoma, Washington. We are just steps away from Tacoma General and Mary Bridge Children's Hospitals. We also occupy office space and exam rooms within six out-patient specialty clinics located throughout the Puget Sound area and at Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup.

The following equipment/systems are available within the MultiCare Institute for Research & Innovation for use in our clinical studies:

• Locked room for investigational product with restricted access
• Phlebotomy areas
• Centrifuge
• Dedicated Research Refrigerators
• Urine processing area
• -20 Freezer
• -70 Freezer
• Access to Dry Ice
• ECG machines
• Crash Cart
• Refrigerated centrifuge
• Fax Machine, Copier, Internet Explorer 6.0 and higher
• Dedicated private work space for monitors

Investigator Experience

John Huddlestone, MD - Neurology - 20 years experience
Laura Hershkowitz, MD - Neurology - 5 years experience
Bill Morris, MD - Neurosurgery - 2 years experience
Allen Graeve, MD- Cardiac Surgery - 7 years experience
Dennis Nichols, MD - Cardiac Surgery - 7 years experience
Ronald Graf, MD - Endocrinology - 20 years experience
Needham Ward, MD - Cardiology - 8 years experience
Daniel Guerra, MD - Cardiology - 4 years experience
Jaime Pugeda, MD - Cardiology - 6 years experience
Toby Lee, MD - Cardiology - 5 years experience
Vinay Malhotra, MD - Cardiology - 10 years experience
Klaus Mergener, MD - GI - 6 years experience
Daniel Ginsberg, MD - Internal Medicine - 2 years experience
Brian Kott, MD - Interventional Radiology - 5 years experience
Alison Nohara, MD - Interventional Radiology - 5 years experience
Robert Irwin, MD - Pediatric Hematology/Oncology - 15 years experience
Jared Capouya, MD - Pediatric Inpatient - 5 years experience
Yoshio Inoue, MD - Oncology - 4 years experience
Michelle Benoit, MD - Oncology, 4 years experience
Umesh Chitaley, MD - Oncology - 10 years experience
Daniel Moore, MD - Oncology - 15 years experience
John Reike, MD - Oncology - 12 years experience
David Chen, MD - Inpatient General Medicine - 6 years experience
Adrianne Bossio, Inpatient General Medicine - 6 years experience
Jeffrey Whittall, Inpatient General Medicine - 3 years experience
Gordon Klatt, MD - General Surgery - 4 years experience
Virgina Stowell, MD - General Surgery - 3 years experience
Doug Wong, MD - Anesthesiology - 5 years experience
Lilly Hsu, MD - Anesthesiology - 5 years experience
Wes Hart, MD - Anesthesiology - 3 years experience
Douglas Sutherland, MD - Urology - 4 years experience
Felix Vladimir, MD - Vascular Surgery - 3 years experience
John Lenihan, MD - Women's Health - 20 years experience
Richard Schroeder, MD - Women's Health - 4 years experience
James Taylor, MD - Pulmonology - 23 years experience
Stephen Ryan, MD - Pulmonology - 5 years experience

Staff Expertise

Paul Amoroso, MD, MPH, Medical Director - 21 years experience
Meredith (Janey) Barnhart, RN, Research Nurse - 10 years experience
Darcie Cruz, MA, CCRC, Supervisor Pulmonary Research - 18 years experience
Jessica Ebert, CCRC, Clinical Research Coordinator - 11 years experience
Katy Garrison, MA, Research Assistant - 3 years experience
Christine Goetz, CCRC, Clinical Research Coordinator - 4 years experience
Shannon Harris, MA, Clinical Research - 11 years experience
Courtney Lumdsen, CCRC, Clinical Research Coordinator - 6 years experience
Jarrod Monroe, MA, CCRC, Clinical Research Coordinator - 6 years experience
Denise Quinn, MA, Clinical Research Coordinator - 10 years experience
Anne Reedy, BS, MBA, Research Manager - 13 years experience
Sandra Reilley, MD, CPI, Clinical Research Coordinator - 11 years experience
Richard Shine, PharmD, Director - 9 years experience
Jami Smith, Clinical Research Coordinator - 10 years experience
Andrea Thompson, BS, Clinical Research Coordinator - 2 years experience
Mary Tompkins, CCRC, Program Coordinator - 8 years experience
Anika Uson, Regulatory Affairs Coordinator - 12 years experience
Mallory Wall-Tweeten, MA, Research Assistant - 1 year experience
Nicole Zeitler, CCRC, Clinical Research Coordinator - 6 years experience

Patient Demographics

MultiCare Health System patients represent a diverse population in ethnicity, age, race, and sociodemographics.

Other Information

While MultiCare Health Systems maintains its own IRB, the MultiCare Institute for Research & Innovation is free to utilize the services of the Sponsor's central IRB to promote swift study execution. Additionally, at the present time, MultiCare does not require review by a scientific review committee prior to submission to the central IRB.

Contact Center

If you are interested in contacting this center to discuss placing a clinical trial there, please complete and send the email form below. A representative from the research center will then follow up with you.