Evaluation Results, September, 2009

Evaluation Report Background and Summary

The Networks for Clinical Research (NCR) website, formerly known as the Inventory and Evaluation for Clinical Research Networks (IECRN) website, has been active since October 2005. The original intent of the inventory was to provide an online resource for investigators to connect with other researchers and with their respective networks. The website is an outcome of the IECRN project, a component of the NIH Roadmap initiative intended to enhance the efficiency and productivity of the clinical research enterprise. At that time there was no single repository of network information, although networks were thought to be an efficient means of conducting high-quality clinical studies that address multiple research questions. Established networks as well as newly developed ones continue to join the website, and to keep the inventory information current, research networks are requested to update their profile data annually.

Westat, which supports both the website and the inventory of networks for the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) part of NIH, has focused on efforts to develop the Networks for Clinical Research searchable inventory database and on enhancing the website’s appeal. In addition, Westat has managed several monitoring and evaluation activities, including submitting semi-annual reports that summarize website activity and other developments, preparing, posting, and analyzing the results of a user satisfaction survey on the NCR website.

A panel of external reviewers was assembled to assess the NCR website’s current and future importance to the research community. Overall, the findings suggest that there is value in the NCR website and the inventory of clinical research networks, but that its utility and purpose need to be re-examined and expanded. The qualitative feedback from the reviewers, along with other evaluation evidence, will be used to guide NCRR’s decision on whether to discontinue, enhance, or modify the NCR resource. The full report is available at Evaluation Report.

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