Table 5.

Site recommendations and illustrative quotations

Design processes that are effective for local contexts
[E]ach university is a little different, and [the working group document] is a general plan of how this might be able to be integrated in. People have to find their own ways in which they can utilize it effectively to ultimately improve research and human social protection. − Institutional Review Board (IRB) Chair
[I]f I were designing this process to be as efficient as possible, I would design a bio-statistical review for these studies prior to IRB review. I would limit it to that. …That’s the piece that was most missing from [our] current process. − SRC Chair
[To recruit reviewers], we used persuasion and the support of the department chair to say this is part of your community responsibility. …That approach might or might not work at other institutions…[depending on] their culture… – Local SRC champion
Invest in building buy-in through communication, or consider establishing a mandate
I would make sure that all the stakeholders not only want this but…show up to meetings and put their name on it. … If the people that are important at your university…aren’t talking about it, I do think that could be a problem because this does require a lot of institutional buy-in on every level. − Implementation point person
[D]o a lot of ground swell education of their colleagues. Get a grand round slot. Do some ad hoc talks and meetings. – SRC Chair
I would tell them that it was critically important to get the Scientific Review Committee people together sooner than later…so that the people at [that] level felt that they had some influence or input into those process changes. – Local SRC champion
[T]ry to figure out a way of adding value to the process…[and] get to a place where they can mandate it. – Local SRC champion
Allow time for thoughtful planning and sharing best practices
[I would recommend] to take some time… I think for us it was key that we were organized, we had a plan in place. − Implementation point person
[In retrospect], I probably would have pushed for the IRB to do a lot more of this electronic part ahead of time. − Implementation point person
[Have] all of the people who were involved across the departments together to hear about [the recommended SRC process] and share best practices… – Implementation point person
Ensure strong, clear procedural ties between the SRC and IRB
I would suggest that having an open good relationship with the IRB office is really important. And that at the outset you really need to identify where the handoffs are and also who has the ultimate authority here. − Implementation point person
And make sure that your reviewers understand really what the mission of your committee is, and that they’re not reviewing a grant [application] and that they’re not reviewing an IRB submission. – Local SRC champion