Wright Center

CLINICAL RESEARCH VOUCHER PROGRAM

The Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research, in partnership with VCU Health, is offering investigators the opportunity to apply for vouchers to be used to offset costs related to the use of VCU Health clinical services for research.

Vouchers are equivalent up to $10,000 in services. Recipients can reapply for additional funds upon receipt of a progress report for a total of $20,000.

The online application may be found here.

The goal of the program is to increase utilization of the Clinical Research Unit, which is located on the eighth floor of the VCU Medical Center North Hospital. Voucher requests should include plans to utilize services within the VCU Medical Center facility, with the majority of services to include the Clinical Research Unit. Ancillary services such as pathology, radiology, cardiology, and hepatology may be included as well.

Services for which the voucher is applicable include:

• Research-specific nursing services via CRU, including mobile nursing, education and prep for units other than CRU to care for research patients
• Overnight studies on CRU or support for research on another unit where the patient is admitted overnight
• Labs, such as the VCU Health Department of Pathology laboratories
• Phlebotomy, such as venipuncture and IV/port blood draws
• Biopsies
• Oral and/or IV glucose tolerance testing
• Six-minute walk tests
• Electrocardiogram tests
• Infusions of oncology medications and other study medications, as well as hydration and blood/blood product transfusions related to research patient needs
• Drug administration, such as IV push medications, injections, oral medications and nebulize treatments
• Point of care testing, such as urine pregnancy, urine drug screen and blood glucose. Other POCT testing can be added with advanced notice
• Ultrasound
• Echocardiogram
• Cardiopulmonary stress test
• Use of the metabolic chamber, which is a specialized room in which research volunteers can spend extended periods of time to allow scientists to study how the human body uses food, water and air under varied circumstances and conditions.
• Room available for hepatology services to perform FibroScan® as part of a study visit
• Limited nutrition support to include measurements and bioelectrical impedance analysis
• Snacks and meals for participants

Expenses not covered by the voucher program include:

• Investigator/study team salaries (effort)
• Meals
• Travel to conferences

Applications are received on a continuous basis and are typically reviewed within one month of receipt.

For more information, please contact cru_voucher@vcu.edu