Research Sponsor Resources

Confluence Health is an integrated healthcare delivery system that includes two hospitals, more than 40 medical specialties and primary care, to provide comprehensive medical care throughout North Central Washington. With over 270 physicians and 150 advanced practice clinicians, Confluence Health is the major medical provider between Seattle and Spokane.

Research Team

Established in 1990, our Clinical Research Department has experience conducting Phase I-IV studies.

The department is led by Medical Director Anton (Tj) Grasch MD, and Kendra Morgan, DNP/ARNP. The support staff includes a research manager, four full-time coordinators with a combined 30+ years of research experience, a regulatory coordinator, data coordinator, and a research pharmacist. For additional information and photos of the team members, please click here.

Therapeutic Areas of Experience

The Clinical Research Department has experience with therapeutic studies in the categories of cardiovascular, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hematology, infectious diseases, nephrology, neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, otolaryngology, pediatrics, primary care, pulmonology, rheumatology, urology, vaccines and women’s health.

Facilities and Equipment

The department is located in a separate building with dedicated patient parking, a reception area and two patient examination rooms. The facility includes an on-site laboratory with two centrifuges, a refrigerator, -20°C and -70°C freezers with continuous temperature monitoring, ECG machine, pulse oximeter, stadiometer and multiple locked cabinets for drug storage. The department uses a central IRB and can prepare documents for a quick study start.

Recruitment

Patients are recruited from IRB approved advertising and referrals from physician partners. The Clinical Research Department has had enrollment success using local newspaper and radio ads. The community tends to be very supportive of, and familiar with, our local contact name and telephone number. We are also able to run a database search and review patient charts to identify potential research participants.

Monitoring

There is adequate room for monitors within the department, consisting of three monitor desks, complete with EMR and a wireless internet connection. Pangborn Memorial Airport is a regional commuter airport located six miles from Confluence Health’s Wenatchee campus. There are three flights daily between Seattle and Wenatchee (50-minute flight). Wenatchee is also connected to I-90 via US 97 over Blewett Pass and is a three-hour drive from Seattle’s SeaTac airport.

About Confluence Health

Confluence Health is an affiliation between Wenatchee Valley Medical Center and Central Washington Hospital. Our 300+ physicians and 170 advanced practice clinicians cover a service area of approximately 12,000 square miles, making us one of the nation’s largest rural healthcare clinics. We are dedicated to improving our patients’ health by providing safe, high-quality care in a compassionate and cost-effective manner.