CHICAGO, Sept. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Click Commerce , a leading provider of collaborative extranet solutions, and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, announced today that the College will employ Click’s extranet software to automate all phases of its Institutional Review Board (IRB) process for research involving human subjects.
With nearly 800 investigators, Medical College of Wisconsin’s five IRBs manage the ethical oversight of approximately 1500 active research studies. Growing research volume pushed the College towards a strategy for improving the quality and consistency of reviews performed even as loads increase.
“After evaluation of multiple automation software products, Click Commerce was selected,” said Maggi Cage, Ph.D, Director, Human Research Protection Office. “Click’s IRB Solution will not only make it easier for researchers to submit approval forms electronically, but also make it possible for our coordinators and board members to perform more comprehensive reviews quickly.”
A new, automated web site will employ Click SmartForms(TM) to lead researchers through extensive review questions using a standard browser. SmartForms conditionally request additional information based on a given response and spare applicants from wading through extraneous questions that don’t pertain to their study. “With so much new data collected electronically, we’ll be able to use Click’s integrated reporting system to generate higher- level reports than were possible before,” Dr. Cage noted.
“The growth in research volume and complexity continues to challenge every institution in higher education,” said Michael Ferro, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Click Commerce. “We are pleased that the Medical College of Wisconsin has adopted Click’s software platform as part of its leadership strategy to continuously improve its compliance processes.”
Part of a long-range accreditation plan for the institution’s IRB, the Medical College of Wisconsin’s system is expected to launch during Q1, 2005.
About The Medical College of Wisconsin
Founded in 1893, the Medical College of Wisconsin is a national, private, academic institution dedicated to leadership and excellence in its fourfold mission: Education, Research, Patient Care and Community Service. Its core competency is medical knowledge, which underpins every aspect of its mission. Its 1,000 full time physicians and scientists teach 1,200 medical and graduate students, 715 physician-residents in training, and more than 12,000 health professional registrants who annually attend continuing education courses. As a major national research center, Medical College faculty received more than $120 million in external support for research and training grants in fiscal year 2002-2003. It is home to nine national research centers and is recognized as a world leader in research on hypertension, obesity, medical imaging, bone marrow transplantation, the genetics of heart disease, and behavior modification for groups at high-risk of HIV exposure. The Medical College’s 700 plus faculty physicians provide care to more than 260,000 patients annually.
About Click Commerce, Inc.
Click Commerce provides extranet solutions for channel management, collaborative commerce, and compliance automation. Click Commerce solutions are used by enterprises in manufacturing, high tech, and financial services as well as institutions in healthcare and higher education. Click’s institutional solutions accelerate administrative reviews, improve auditability, and reduce communication lag time for Johns Hopkins University, University of Washington, the University of Michigan and other institutions looking to streamline paper-bound compliance issues and administrative processes. More information can be found at http://www.clickcommerce.com/ .
Click Commerce, Inc.
CONTACT: Media, Nancy Koenig, +1-415-551-0621,nancy.koenig@clickcommerce.com , or Investors, Mike Nelson, +1-312-377-3887,mike.nelson@clickcommerce.com , both of Click Commerce, Inc.
Web site: http://www.clickcommerce.com/
