Integrating clinical research into electronic health record workflows to support a learning health system

Objective: Integrating clinical research into routine clinical care workflows within electronic health record systems (EHRs) can be challenging, expensive, and labor-intensive. This case study presents a large-scale clinical research project conducted entirely within a commercial EHR during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Case report: The UCSD and UCSDH COVID-19 NeutraliZing Antibody Project (ZAP) aimed to evaluate antibody levels to SARS-CoV-2 virus in a large population at an academic medical center and examine the association between antibody levels and subsequent infection diagnosis.

Results: The project rapidly and successfully enrolled and consented over 2000 participants, integrating the research trial with standing COVID-19 testing operations, staff, lab, and mobile applications. EHR-integration increased enrollment, ease of scheduling, survey distribution, and return of research results at a low cost by utilizing existing resources.

Conclusion: The case study highlights the potential benefits of EHR-integrated clinical research, expanding their reach across multiple health systems and facilitating rapid learning during a global health crisis.