Project Launch
Project Launch is a multi-phased program currently under development at Women’s College Hospital that aims to streamline existing processes to enable anyone at the organization to initiate a research, scholarly quality improvement, education scholarship and/or program evaluation project or study.
The Project Launch process has four distinct steps, they include:
- Step 1: WCH Initiation Form (Available Now)
- Step 2: Reviews and Approvals
- Part I: Pre-Consultation/Initial Assessment (Under Development)
- Part II: Service Providers Impact (Available Now)
- Part III A: Scientific Review (Available Now)
- Part III B: Departmental Feasibility (Available Now)
- Part IV: Financial Review (Under Development)
- Step 3: Ethics & Contracts
For a more detailed outline of Project Launch please see our overview document:
For ACCESS: Please complete the new account request form in the link here https://redcap.link/WCH_NewAccount and an account will be created for you. Please specify that you will also need access to Project Launch.
NOTE: We greatly appreciate your support and feedback as we continue to develop each step within Project Launch.
For all project-related questions or feedback, please contact ProjectLaunch@wchospital.ca
Step 1: WCH Initiation Form
Academics has developed an electronic tool to help teams successfully initiate projects and studies at WCH. Please note that the PI or Project Lead will require a WCH email address to proceed further beyond this tool.
The tool or initiation form is comprised of a series of survey questions specific to the team’s project or study concept. It will help determine what resources a team needs to move forward and begin their study or project.
Once the form is completed an automatic checklist is generated outlining key contacts, links, resources, and other essential information to launch a project or study. Information from the initiation form will never be collected or fed into other systems, so teams can use it as many times as they’d like to explore different options or scenarios for their project or study.
Step 2: Reviews & Approvals
The Central Form within Project Launch accessed via REDCap encompasses all sections for Step 2: Reviews & Approvals:
- Part I: Pre-Consultation/ Initial Assessment (under development)
- Part II: Service Providers Impact (available below)
- Part III A: Scientific Review (available below)
- Part III B: Departmental Feasibility (available below)
- Part IV: Financial Review (under development)
Part I: Pre-Consultation/ Initial Assessment
Training Attestation
The Training Attestation streamlines the oversight of institutional education and training requirements while ensuring that WCH research team members are appropriately qualified and trained to conduct research at WCH. Process changes will include:
- Documentation of training (certificates of completion) will not need to be submitted to the REB as part of the study application process.
- The PI/Study Lead will verify and attest that all WCH affiliated study personnel listed on the study application are appropriately qualified and have completed the required institutional training (via Project Launch).
- A summary PDF will be available for download for REB submission.
- Training completion will need to be appropriately documented and maintained for current and new WCH research team members involved in the study.
Privacy & Data Security Attestation
This newly soft launched section aims to:
- Outline key resources, contacts, and considerations related to the privacy and data security of a study/project at WCH and improve practice around privacy and data security while conducting research, quality improvement projects, program evaluations, etc.
- Upon completion of the form, the PI/Study Lead will be electronically notified via REDCap to attest to the document to ensure understanding and implementation of the appropriate recommendation(s) and considerations as applicable. This information will need to be conveyed to the team (including but not limited to staff, students, trainees, learners, etc.).
- A final PDF of the attestation, responses, and the appropriate recommendation(s) and considerations will be available to download for your ethics application.
Note: This module will be mandatory for studies/projects submitting to the REB for the April review period (submission deadline in March 2025). More information will be available in the new year from the REB.
Part II: Service Providers’ Impact
This mandatory section allows you to electronically submit your Impact Analysis forms for Medical Imagining, Laboratory Services, Pharmacy, and/or Strategic Communications for review and approval. This new approach will aim to standardize and streamline our current processes.
Please have the latest draft of your protocol ready to attach.
Note: Strategic Communications is required to review and approve all recruitment materials that will be used to recruit patients/members of the public (e.g., posters, social media, web content, etc.) prior to REB Submission
Part III A: Scientific Review
This mandatory electronic format now replaces the paper-based ‘Scientific Review’ form to help drive greater efficiency across processes. Completing the Central Form and including your list of internal and external reviewers, will trigger an email notification to be sent directly to the reviewers.
Reviewers can access the ‘Scientific Review’ form simply by clicking on a survey link:
Part III B: Departmental Feasibility
This is a NEW electronic process aimed to assess clinical impact(s) in the following clinical areas:
- Anesthesia
- Primary Care
- Gynecology
- Perioperative Services
- Mental Health
- Specialized Medicine
Upon your electronic submission, a notification will be sent to both the Clinical Director and Department Head of the relevant clinical area(s) for their review and feedback.
Please note that you will be required to have had prior consultation with a member of the clinical team (and include their name) as part of the electronic form submission.
•For all project-related questions, please contact ProjectLaunch@wchospital.ca.