About MyChart
MyChart is an easy, confidential way for patients to access their care team and medical information online. For research, MyChart may be used to recruit potentially eligible patients through CTSI’s Participant Recruitment Program (PRP) EHR Recruitment Service or to communicate with research participants after consent, subject to the requirements outlined below.
Recruitment
CTSI’s Consultation Service, the Participant Recruit Program (PRP) facilitates EHR-based cohort identification and recruitment outreach to potentially eligible patients through MyChart or direct mail. The PRP EHR Recruitment Service is the only approved mechanism at UCSF for using MyChart for research recruitment.
The PRP’s EHR Recruitment Service page has detailed information about how the service works, which types of studies are eligible to use it, requirements, cost, and how to get started.
Getting IRB Approval for MyChart recruitment:
If you plan to use MyChart for research recruitment through PRP’s EHR Recruitment Service, PRP will provide you with (1) specific language to include in the IRB application and (2) participant-facing recruitment materials to attach to your IRB submission.
The IRB will review your submission, whether it is a new application or a modification to an existing IRB approval, to ensure that the correct language about PRP is included in the application and that all necessary recruitment materials are attached to the submission. See the PRP’s guidance about IRB materials for more details.
If you plan to use MyChart to communicate with research participants after they have consented to be in the study, see Communications in Research below.
Communications in Research
MyChart can also be used to communicate with Research Participants after they have consented to be in the study. This is separate from using MyChart for research recruitment.
The consent process must address the use of MyChart for study communications and provide participants with the opportunity to opt out.
Research communications sent through MyChartshould be clearly distinguishable from communications related to clinical care. If you propose to use MyChart to communicate with research participants, the following is required:
- The IRB application must indicate that study communication may take place via MyChart and provide a plan for communication if participants choose to opt out of MyChart communication.
- The consent form should indicate that study communication may take place via MyChart.
- The participant should be presented with the opportunity to “opt-out” of receiving communication via MyChart.
- The study team should propose alternate communication methods if participants elect to “opt-out.”
- Template messages should be IRB-approved prior to sending to participants.
- Screenshots or Template language should be included for IRB review and approval.