Research Projects

Research & Quality Improvement
To learn more:

Marica Martinic, MPH

Director, Education
928.522.9855

Email Marica

Research Projects

North Country HealthCare and the Colorado Plateau Center for Health Professions have been participating in supporting research since 2019. While we have always supported student and resident-led research projects, interest in conducting research at North Country has grown significantly by researchers at external academic universities and institutions. Thus, as our program grows, so does interest in our patient population and the relatively endemic circumstances in northern Arizona that both directly and indirectly affect quality of care and health outcomes.

Regardless of the principal investigator (PI) and their affiliation with North Country, all research projects undergo a formal application and review process. All applications are assessed by the Research Committee, as well as our Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Committee, and the successful approval of a project is based on the following criteria:

  • Feasibility of North Country HealthCare to provide human and technological resources to support the project. 
  • Congruence to North Country HealthCare’s mission and objectives.
  • Appropriate patient protection and confidentiality.
  • Cultural sensitivity for vulnerable populations.

Research and CQI Committee meetings take place on a monthly basis, and so there are strict application deadlines that correspond to our review schedule. A copy of the research application deadline calendar can be found on this page. Because we require formal review, please note that a failure to meet an application deadline will result in postponement of project review until the following month. 

You may also submit supplemental materials with your project application. This may include study protocols, survey measures, partnership agreements, grants, etc. While these materials can help the Research Committee better understand and evaluate your project, please be aware that our assessment and subsequent decision to approve a research project is based predominantly on the information presented in the application document. Consequently, please ensure your application is thorough, detailed, and comprehensive.

Depending on the type of project you propose, you may be additionally required to submit your project to an Institutional Review Board (IRB). North Country does not have its own IRB, and so an IRB from an external research institution would be required (i.e. NAU, ATSU, etc.). If your project requires approval or exemption from an IRB, North Country may approve your project, but you will not be allowed to begin until that documentation has been received. 

Clinical Projects

If you are proposing to conduct a project that involves our clinic staff in any capacity, we recommend that you speak with a clinical representative from North Country HealthCare to assess the feasibility and impact on clinical workflows. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and our efforts to administer vaccines, our clinical staff is limited in their ability to support research, and so the Research Committee’s approval of clinical projects is extremely selective. 

Application Documents & Submission 

If you are an individual who would like to conduct a research project at North Country HealthCare, please download and complete the research project application on this page. Email your application, as well as any supplemental materials you would like to provide, to research@nchcaz.org.

Forms to Download

For questions or more info:
For questions or more info:

Marica Martinic, MPH
928.522.9855
Email Marica