Healthcare User Research Plan Template

No. IRB review is typically required when research is intended to produce generalizable knowledge (publication, conference presentation) and involves human subjects. Product research conducted purely for internal quality improvement or product development may not require IRB review. However, if you are working with a health system partner, their IRB policies apply regardless of your intent. Always document your IRB determination and the rationale.

For patients: $25-75 for a 30-60 minute interview, typically via gift card. For nurses and allied health: $50-100/hour. For physicians: $150-300/hour, reflecting their opportunity cost. Incentives should be fair but not coercive (so high that participants feel pressured to join). Check with your IRB if one is involved, as some have incentive limits.

Offer flexibility. Schedule during lunch, before clinic starts, or after hours. Keep sessions to 30-45 minutes. Offer the option of remote interviews. Pay a fair incentive. Most importantly, show that you respect their time by being prepared: have specific questions, know the clinical context, and do not waste time on basics you could have learned from documentation.

Yes, with explicit consent. Include recording consent as a separate item in your informed consent document. Give participants the option to decline recording while still participating. For video recording in clinical settings, ensure no other patients or their information are captured. Store recordings in HIPAA-compliant storage and delete them after transcription and analysis.

Have a plan before it happens. If a patient discloses suicidal ideation, abuse, or an immediate safety concern, pause the interview, express concern, and connect them with appropriate resources (crisis hotline, their care team). If a clinician discloses a patient safety issue (medication error, system failure), document it and escalate to the appropriate quality or safety officer at the institution. Never ignore or "note and move on" from safety disclosures. ---