The Mission of the Institute for Health Research (IHR) is to develop, conduct and translate high-quality research into practice and to promote evidence-based practices and service-oriented, cost-effective medical care. We partner with clinicians in the design and implementation of research so that the results will be relevant to clinical practice. Working within an integrated delivery system enables us to evaluate innovative models of care, conduct epidemiologic and outcomes studies, and participate in clinical trials important to our members and other populations. We work with federal agencies, foundations, universities and other research groups to answer important health policy and public health questions. We share the results of our research with our members, clinicians and the community through publications and presentations.

Who We Are

In 1991, the Research and Development (R&D) Department was established as part of the Strategic Services Department. At that time only two people were assigned to R&D: Arne Beck, PhD, and Paul Barrett, MD. Later, this group became the Clinical Research Unit (CRU). In 2007, the CRU changed its name to Institute for Health Research (IHR) to better reflect our organization’s vision and mission. Over this time, the group has grown substantially to over 100 people including MD, PhD and PharmD investigators, who are supported by research nurses, project managers, research specialists, research assistants, statisticians, analysts, programmers, and administrative staff.

What We Do

The Institute for Health Research is comprised of many different teams to achieve our vision and mission as a research facility.  We are able to achieve our vision and mission because each team plays a vital role in our research enterprise.  These teams include:

Our investigators have diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise that drive the research our institute conducts. Their search for verifiable improvements in health care that can be translated into clinical practice sets the research agenda for our Institute.

The Administrative Team offers a wide variety of support to IHR investigators, Colorado Permanente Medical Group (CPMG) researchers and other IHR staff.  

Analytic Resources is composed of biostatisticians, analysts, database, managers, and systems technicians who work in support of investigators and/or in consultation with other groups either internal or external to the IHR.
Analysts and biostatisticians are responsible for developing analytic plans, including sample size calculations and appropriate statistical methods, consulting with investigators on methodological issues, interpreting results of analyses, and assisting in the dissemination of results to appropriate audiences.

The Clinical Trials Team consists of individuals specifically trained in the conduct, management, and regulatory requirements of FDA clinical pharmaceutical, biologic, and device trials. Collaborating with clinical staff and physician investigators, this team is responsible for the implementation and conduct of clinical trials that provide treatment options and access for our patients.

Contracts and Grants provides services to IHR and CPMG investigators and staff related to obtaining and managing research grants and contracts awarded by a variety of federal, state, local government and non-profit sponsors.

The Finance and Accounting Team is responsible for the financial oversight of grants and contracts for research in the IHR.

The primary goal of the Investigator Support Team is to optimize the success of new research by acting as a liaison between investigators and resources within the IHR.

The IHR oversees the management of the KPCO Tumor Registry through funding from the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado. The registry is a repository of information on cancer diagnoses, treatment, and outcomes.

The role of the Pharmacotherapy Research Team is to provide ongoing support in the form of professional expertise and technical guidance for pharmacotherapy-related research projects.  Clinical research pharmacists evaluate all studies involving medication and/or devices and provide
a detailed review of the pharmacology, safety, and efficacy of the drug or device as it relates to current clinical practice.

The Rapid Development Technologies team is composed of mainframe, network, PC, and web application developers, database administrators, system architects, and PC technicians who design, build, deploy, and support software solutions for research objectives.

Health services research is comprised of project managers who oversee all aspects of project implementation as well as tracking patient recruitment, collecting data, and hiring and training project staff.  Research staff includes research specialists and assistants who are responsible for recruiting, consenting, and interviewing study participants, gathering data, maintaining databases, and interacting with research participants.