Clinical Research at The Queen's Medical Essential to Patient Care

Breakthrough technology from hip replacements to artificial hearts, new medications and even modifications to a procedure or device constantly benefits our health. However, few think about the clinical research which makes all of that possible. Even less so do they think about the support services necessary to make clinical research happen. Those support services is the Research, Planning and Development Department at The Queen's Medical Center.

Research, Planning and Development's role is to support medical staff and allied medical staff in clinical research. The staff firmly believes that good patient care is achieved through research. For some research at Queen's, the Department's role is limited to contract and regulatory issues. For others, they provide direct help in clinical trials and research support services.

Research, Planning and Development provides the support that many physicians would not otherwise have, allowing important clinical research in areas such as oncology, infectious disease, behavioral health, intensive care and women's health.

Some of the staff from Research, Planning & Deve-lopment. Front (l to r): Ivy Dilda, research associate, Sue Akana, admin secretary, Rebecca Ohta, manager, Research Regulatory Office, Garret Kawamura, manager, Research Grants Administra-tion. Back: Darlene Sardinha, secretary, Clinical Trials, Henry Sweeney, manager, Research Support Services, John Firrell, director, Clinical Research, Vance Mizuba, I.S. coordinator, Fran Mastunaga, admin secretary, and Sue Pelke, RN, clinical research nurse.

Of course, research in general--and clinical trials in particular--requires funding. The Queen's Medical Center actively seeks out applicants for grants from among Queen's medical staff and affiliated health professionals. The Queen Emma Research Fund provides funding for original clinical research at QMC or affiliated facilities. If successful, these studies can be used to apply for larger grants from institutions such as federal agencies and foundations.

Although it is most often a long process from a clinical study to clinical trials, and then to FDA approval, the benefit to patients is well worth the wait and the effort. For this reason, The Queen's Medical Center remains committed to clinical research and supporting the work of those who make it happen.