Collaborate with us

We conduct hundreds of research studies each year to advance patient care, experience and affordability. Many of our projects involve collaboration with research groups across the country. Our research is led by PhD-, DDS- and MD-level investigators.

We welcome your interest in working with us in many areas of research:

Health services
Survey-based
Behavioral interventions
Clinical trials
Basic science

As part of HealthPartners, our organization includes hospitals, clinics and a health plan. This enables us to make discoveries, develop evidence-based solutions and put them in place.

HealthPartners is the largest consumer-governed, nonprofit health care organization in the nation. It serves more than 1.2 million patients and 1.8 million health plan members. Many of our projects involve the HealthPartners care group and health plan. HealthPartners doctors often take part in pilot studies. Health plan information helps us understand the cost of care and how to make improvements.

Research studies and projects

A HealthPartners researcher must be involved in any project involving HealthPartners data, patients or members. Researchers external to HealthPartners must work with staff from HealthPartners to create proposals.

We provide full-service development support to our investigators as well as our external research partners. This includes professional proposal development and grant submission, including federal contracts and proposals. We also manage a robust research review process to ensure administrative and scientific quality.

Research networks

The Institute is a leader and participant in 14 national research networks that include other large health care systems. This extends our reach and impact as we collaborate and share knowledge across the country.

Research infrastructure

Our research infrastructure and services include teams skilled in designing, conducting and evaluating research projects. This deep expertise and support allows research teams to conduct complex studies. We also use state-of-the-art technology in our data extracts, storage and security to ensure that the data used in our research is accurate, safe and comprehensive. Our data and web systems are housed at the same data center used by HealthPartners’ care delivery and health plan. This center is supported by information services and technology and security teams from HealthPartners. Two of our services, data coordination and survey research, are available for contract to other organizations.

Our research infrastructure includes:

Application development

We focus on web-based applications, backend web services and client server applications, including the creation and maintenance of Institute and study-related websites. We are experienced in backend database and agile software development.

Informatics

We identify and analyze information to answer research questions. Our knowledge of source data systems, analytical tools and technology ensure accurate and comprehensive records for research.

Project management

We manage and coordinate services in a multidisciplinary environment, develop required applications and agreements and manage timelines and reporting requirements. Many of our project managers are masters-level researchers with project management certification or training.

Research development

We provide full-service development support to our investigators and external research partners. We offer professional grant development and submissions, including federal contracts and proposals, and manage a robust research review process to ensure administrative and scientific quality. For more information, contact Sarah Toov.

Research methodology

We are researchers, methodologists, statisticians and consultants for study design and statistical analysis. Our expertise includes biostatistics, epidemiology, quantitative psychology, industrial engineering and demography. Our PhD- and master’s-level methodologists have study design, data source and statistical expertise.

Research quality assurance

We develop guidelines for internal study monitoring plans, research policies, procedures and tools and Epic research modules. We have created and support a research integrity training program for all research staff. We monitor our studies to ensure quality and integrity and ensure compliance with federal, state, institution and other regulations and policies.

Research subjects protection program

Our program manages two institutional review boards (IRBs). Each board reviews research with human subjects according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regulations and clinical research per U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations. Our IRBs conduct reviews to ensure that subjects agree to participate and that their rights and welfare are protected and that studies maximize possible benefits, minimize possible harms and result in important knowledge.

Survey research

We collect health-related data from research subjects, patients and members for internal and external projects. Our projects range from small, one- or two-subject surveys to large multistate projects.

Technical infrastructure and systems

We use state-of-the-art technology in our data extraction, storage and security to ensure that the data used in our research are accurate and comprehensive. Our data and web systems are housed at the same data center used by HealthPartners’ care delivery and health plan. This center is supported by information services and technology and security teams from HealthPartners.

Research compliance

HealthPartners’ compliance program centers on the “Eight Basic Compliance Elements” suggested by the Office of the Inspector General. Key policies include scientific misconduct, objectivity in research and institutional conflict of interest. All investigators and research staff must review and complete conflict of interest forms at least annually and as changes in conflict of interest occur. The policy is linked below. Training is provided through CITI. For more information, contact Amy Fehrer.

Secondary Interest and Objectivity in Research Policy

Learn more about our:

Research strengths