University of Minnesota Health Clinical Research Unit

Staffing & procedures

Procedure performed by M Health CRU staff

Procedures include but are not limited to:

• Lab draws
• Point of care testing (glucose checks, pregnancy tests, urinalysis)
• Infusions and medication* administration, including chemotherapy and gene therapy
• IV starts
• Clamps
• Assisting with procedures (biopsies, etc.)
• Sample processing in the CRU**
• Managing/accessing central lines
• EPIC access
• Standard of care visits

* Medications given must come from IDS Pharmacy or Fairview Inpatient Pharmacy (stocked in the unit’s Pyxis). 
**Any labs needing analysis by a Fairview lab (Acute Care lab, CSC, etc.) will still need the Fairview research paper lab slip.

Managing the research protocol

Investigators and their coordinators will engage in managing the research protocol, but investigators may not bring their own clinical staff into the M Health CRU to provide clinical services.

Protocol-specific procedures that must be conducted with specific equipment, on a consistent basis, can be administered by research study staff after consultation with the medical director of the unit.

Resources

• Getting Started at M Health CRU
• Source Document Template
• Processing Document Template
• CTR Scheduling System - User Guide
• M Health CRU Marketing Sheet
• M Health CRU Paragraph for Research Grants
• OnCore login
• About OnCore

Participant visits

Studies wishing to self-schedule visits can continue to do so in the CTR Portal scheduling system. 

EPIC

All participants seen in the M Health CRU will need to have an EPIC medical record number (MRN). If your participant does not currently have an MRN or you are uncertain, please call 612-263-9104 and indicate that you need to register a RESEARCH patient/participant. To register a new patient you will need the following: full name, date of birth, gender, address and phone number. There is a field in the CTR Portal Scheduling System where the MRN should be entered.

Providing notice

• Ten days notice is requested to ensure adequate staffing.
• Two weeks notice is requested for overnights.

Any studies needing to schedule visits inside of this window should contact the CRU to check availability. The CRU will always do its best to get every participant in at the desired time. 

Consent forms 

Before a visit occurs, signed consent forms must be uploaded to the CTR Portal scheduling system.

When adding participants to a study, you have the ability to upload the signed consent form. For screening visits in which consent will be obtained at the time of visit, the consent form can be provided to M Health CRU staff at the time it is signed.

Patient experience

The CRU has 1 exam room, 6 observation rooms, an exercise room and a consult room. All observation rooms have an attached bathroom, Roku TV and a call light. 

• Observation rooms 1, 2, and 6 have a bed only
• Observation room 4 has a bed and infusion chair and is a negative pressure room.
• Observation rooms 3 and 5 have both a bed and an infusion chair

Communicating to participants

• Template letter for first-time visitors
• East Bank Hospital and Clinics Map

Address

Clinic address:

University of Minnesota Health Clinical Research Unit
Phillips Wangensteen Building, Suite 1-302
516 Delaware St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Mailing address: 

University of Minnesota Health Clinical Research Unit
Phillips Wangensteen Building, Suite 1-302
516 Delaware St. SE
MMC 126
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Parking and directions:

Map, directions, and parking
The clinic will validate parking for the Delaware Street patient and visitor ramp. Valet parking is not available.