Accessing Supports & Services for Research

General Process

All research studies conducted within an affiliated Shared Health/WRHA facility, program or service must be submitted for institutional assessment through RITHIM. These studies may include, but are not limited to, clinical research studies which are sponsored by pharmaceutical companies, grant-funded, and Investigator-initiated projects.

Once your application is received by RITHIM Harmony, your application will be routed for ethics, privacy, and health institutional assessment review based on the information contained in the application. Animal projects using SH/WRHA facilities, programs and/or services shall submit for review and approval using the SH Research application form via email to [email protected].

This application process oversees all research related activities under Shared Health. This process is also currently assisting the Winnipeg Research Access & Approval Committee to help provide a streamlined and standardized approach for institutional impact assessments.

If you are unsure if your project needs to be submitted for Shared Health institutional impact assessment, please contact the Shared Health Research and Innovation Office at [email protected].

Application Forms and Process

Institutional Assessment

In order to assess a project for the potential impact on Shared Health, the following documents are required to be submitted electronically through RITHIM. Not all documents may be necessary for each project, however, if an item is required, the submission will not be reviewed until all relevant material has been received.

Completed RITHIM HARMONY application
Protocol
Consent Form(s), Assent Form(s) and Consent to Contact Form(s)
Recruitment Materials
Surveys/Questionnaires
Budget
Technical/Information Manuals
Letters of support
- Used when there is a broader organizational uptake required (i.e. at a program or regional level)
- Typically, at the executive/leadership level
- This does not replace the need for an institutional assessment
Completed Shared Health Feasibility Acknowledgment
Relevant Project Agreement(s) drafts

Animal Studies to be submitted via email to SHRI:

Completed SHRI application form
Supporting documentation including permits, schedules and/or protocols
Animal Use Protocol Form

Approval and Activation

The following items may be required following institutional assessment in order to approve and/or activate a project or amendment.

Fully Executed Agreement(s)
Completed Account Information Form

Prior to accessing Shared Health facilities and/or services, a Shared Health activation letter is required and the Principal Investigator must ensure that the appropriate Research Ethics Board approval is obtained and all departmental set-up, including the delivery of any required supplies, has been completed.

Copies of all external approvals/authorizations, including but not limited to CHIPER, REB and PHRPC (if applicable) must be submitted to Shared Health Research and Innovation immediately upon receipt.

Post Activation & Ongoing Requirements

Amendments

Through RITHIM, all amendments for revised documents must be submitted to Shared Health Research and Innovation through RITHIM for review. Changes to services and/or permitted procedures, including but not limited to use of consent form or revised study advertisements, will not be permitted within an affiliated Shared Health/WRHA facility, program or service until such amendments have been activated by Shared Health Research and Innovation.

Annual Updates

The following items are required annually for all open projects:

Research Ethics Board (REB) Annual Study Status form
Annual Research Ethics Board (REB) Approval
The Committee for Harmonized Health Impact, Privacy, and Ethics Review (CHIPER) Approval

Closing a Project

Upon the closure and/or termination of a project, immediate notification must be provided. Once available, please also provide a coy of the Research Ethics Board (REB) Final Study Status Report.

Submission Deadlines

The deadline for RITHIM Harmony submissions is 4:30 p.m. on the stated date. See RITHIM website for more details.