Overview

MultiCare Institute for Research & Innovation (MIRI) manages all clinical research for MultiCare Health System, which spans the Pacific Northwest. MultiCare Health System is comprised of seven adult hospitals and one pediatric hospital along with more than 225 out-patient clinics and primary care providers. MultiCare employs more than 1,300 providers including primary care physicians 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. MultiCare was also among the first adopters of EPIC electronic medical records, which allows research within the system to be fully connected within in- and outpatient facilities.

The mission of MIRI is to partner in our communities to improve quality of life and advance medical science through research. Since 1983, MultiCare researchers have been conducting both in- and outpatient clinical trials (phase 1 to 4, device and observational) in a wide range of therapeutic areas. We work with a host of experienced investigators specializing in a variety of therapeutic areas.

Research Experience

MultiCare Health System has been conducting research since 1983. Since 2015, MultiCare has participated in more than 440 enrolling clinical trials and has had more than 3,800 volunteers enrolled to studies. MultiCare researchers have been engaged in the following types of clinical research:

• Addiction medicine
• Anesthesiology
• Cardiology
• Cardiothoracic surgery
• Dermatology
• Emergency medicine
• Endocrinology and metabolism
• Family medicine
• Gastroenterology
• General surgery
• Genetic disorders
• Gynecologic surgery
• Hematology
• Infectious disease
• Internal medicine
• Interventional radiology
• Medical oncology
• Nephrology
• Neurology
• Pediatrics
• Pulmonology
• Sleep medicine
• Stroke and vascular conditions
• Urology
• Vaccines
• Women's health

Facility Description

MIRI's primary office is located in Tacoma, Wash., but its reach spreads across the Pacific Northwest from the Puget Sound to Inland Northwest and northern Idaho. MultiCare maintains a 24-hour pharmacy lab and radiology services.

The following equipment/systems are available within the MIRI for use in our clinical studies:

• Locked room for investigational product with restricted access
• Phlebotomy areas
• Centrifuge
• Refrigerated centrifuge
• Dedicated research refrigerators
• Urine processing area
• -20° Freezer
• -70° Freezer
• Access to dry ice
• ECG machines
• Imaging

• X-ray
• MRI
• CT scan
• PET scan
• Bones scan
• DEXA

• Crash Cart
• Fax Machine, copier, and high-speed internet
• Dedicated private workspace for monitors
• Remote monitoring and E-regulatory capabilities via Florence eBinders

Staff Expertise

Our staff includes 60+ full-time staff, including experienced coordinators, nurses and research assistants, a full-time regulatory team, in-house budget and contract analysts, a billing specialist, dedicated QA support, a librarian, a data team consisting of an epidemiologist and research scientist, multiple project managers and business-development personnel.

Patients

MultiCare Health System patients represent a diverse population in ethnicity, age, race and socio- economic demographics. MultiCare research participants represent the real-world, community-based patients needed for quality research results.

Other Information

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 on our ability to expedite study commencement and provide exceptional research staff.

While MultiCare Health Systems maintains its own IRB, the MIRI 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. Our study start-up timeline generally averages 10-12 weeks from receipt of all start-up documents.

If you are interested in discussing a potential trial with our team, please contact MIRI’s business development manager, Justin Platts. He will serve as your initial point of contact for all initial research inquiries, including CDAs and feasibility.