Introducing IRAP: C&W’s New Institutional Research Approvals Portal

Introducing IRAP: C&W’s New Institutional Research Approvals Portal

by Jennifer Claydon

Humanities, Social Sciences & Thought Economics & Finance KJMVManagement of specific areasKJMV6Research and development management
🎙 Jennifer Claydon 👥 251 📅 April 2, 2026 ⏱ 59 min 👁 10 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-08-16
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

IRAPinstitutional approvalresearch ethicsREDCapclinical research operations

Summary

This presentation introduces the new Institutional Research Approvals Portal (IRAP) at BC Children’s & Women’s Hospital, designed to streamline the process of obtaining institutional approvals for research studies. Jennifer Claydon, Director of Clinical Research Operations, explains the current paper-based process and its challenges, including lack of standardization, transparency, and communication. She outlines the requirements for a new electronic system, such as standardized processes, program flexibility, transparency, accountability, and automatic routing. The development timeline includes a pilot system (EPUB) and exploration of alternatives, ultimately leading to a REDCap-based solution. IRAP will launch as a hybrid model, with some programs fully integrated and others using uploaded forms. The presentation covers submission requirements, the role of site PIs, and a demo of the system’s dashboard. Questions from the audience address concerns about PI eligibility and data approvals.

134 words

Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The presentation provides valuable insights into the operational challenges of research administration and the rationale behind the new system. The argumentation is clear and well-structured, drawing on feedback from research teams and program leaders. However, it lacks empirical evidence or comparative analysis of different systems, relying primarily on anecdotal experiences and internal decision-making.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The presentation is based on the speaker’s extensive experience and internal project work, but it does not cite external sources or published literature. The title accurately reflects the content. The talk is informative and practical, but its scientific rigor is limited by the absence of references and the focus on a specific institutional context.

122 words

Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on introducing the new IRAP portal.

Quality & Reliability

7/10

The presentation is given by an experienced director of clinical research operations, with practical insights into the institutional approval process. However, it is primarily an informational talk about a new internal system, with limited external references or empirical data.

Key Moments

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

Contribution & Novelties

The presentation offers a detailed case study of transitioning from a paper-based to an electronic institutional approval system in a hospital research setting. It highlights practical considerations such as program flexibility, transparency, and accountability. The hybrid launch model is a pragmatic approach to phased implementation.

Pour aller plus loin :

  • REDCap — REDCap is a secure web application for building and managing online surveys and databases, used here as the platform for IRAP.
  • Institutional Review Board (IRB) — The concept of institutional approval is related to IRB oversight, though IRAP focuses on operational approvals.
  • Clinical Research Management — Provides context on the broader field of clinical research operations and management.

110 words

Radar Profile

The radar profile shows balanced scores across information quantity, quality, and reliability, with a lower technical level. This reflects a presentation that is informative and credible but not highly technical or research-intensive.

Reliability 7/10