MADISON, Wis. – The first patients will be seen at UW Health Eastpark Medical Center in just a few short weeks, and these patients will have even more seamless access to clinical trials.
Clinical trials, or research in which people participate in studies to test new treatments or devices for medical conditions, are at the heart of advancing medicine and finding the best therapies for patients, according to Betsy Nugent, senior director, chief clinical research officer, UW Health.
“Clinical trials benefit the entire community,” she said. “Researchers and clinicians learn more about a condition and patients who qualify for a trial may get access to new treatment options, potentially leading to better treatments for a range of illnesses.”
At Eastpark Medical Center, clinical trials will be more integrated into the patient experience than ever before, according to Nugent.
Patients will have the ability to see multiple providers, utilize applicable services and access appropriate clinical trials during a single visit.
“We aim to offer every patient the opportunity to participate in clinical research, should they choose to do so,” Nugent said. “The integration of research into standard care processes at Eastpark will help move us even closer to that goal by bringing research to the patient, rather than the patient to research.”
The Eastpark Clinical Research Unit, which will assist patients who are participating in more complex trials with longer treatments, will be right across the hall from the infusion center, which will accommodate infusions for oncology and non-oncology-focused studies. Eastpark will also include dedicated research consult and exam rooms, as well as a research specimen processing lab to process same-day biological samples from participants. All clinical research spaces feature comfortable, sunlit rooms similar to other clinical spaces within the medical center, according to Nugent.
“All of these features allow for the effective integration of research into a patient’s care, as needed,” she said. “We will bring them a seamless care experience whether they are there for standard care, a clinical trial or both.”
The patient-centric approach at Eastpark Medical Center will help support the diversity of communities we serve, including those whose primary language is not English, according to Nugent.
“Diverse participation in clinical trials is critical to provide better results on how a therapy in question will work for the broader community,” she said. “All patients will experience a welcoming, inclusive environment that makes research participation as accessible, easy and comfortable as possible.”
Above all, it is the participants who drive health research innovations at UW–Madison and UW Health, according to Nugent.
“Participants are truly our partners in research,” she said. “Without their participation, it would be impossible to move medicine forward at UW.”
Learn more about clinical trials at UW Health, and visit Study Finder to search for available trials.
