Protected Researchtimefor Researchrelated Activities

PROTECTED RESEARCHTIMEFOR RESEARCHRELATED ACTIVITIES

1.PURPOSE:Toestablishguidelines forprotected research time for participation in research relatedactivities.

2.POLICY

a.TheLexingtonVA Medical Center endorsesresearchandrelated academic activitiesthatsignificantlyand directlycontribute to improvingmedicalcare for Veteransaswellasfor thegeneralpublic. The workloadallocationfactor for theresearch support componentof VeteransEquitableResource Allocation(VERA) fundscreditsallVA administeredresearchat100 % (e.g., Merit Grants,Cooperative StudiesPrograms,etc.); non-VA administeredpeerreviewedresearchat 75%(e.g., NIH,DOD,etc.);andnon-VAfunded,non-VAadministered,non-peerreviewedresearchat 25% (e.g.,pharmaceuticaland industrysponsored clinicaltrials).

b.Clinicalinvestigators'"protectedtime"figuresrepresent maximum timeallowancesforresearchandrelated academic activities.The MedicalCenter Director,whois theauthoritythat commitsto thetime allocation,retains authorityfor all decisions regardingprotectedtime.Once protected timeisgranted to investigators,correspondingservicechiefsmaywant to includethis aspart of theirjustificationfor additionalresources tocoverfor the investigator's timedevoted to performingclinicalresearch. Also, under specialcircumstances, the protected time allowancemaybe increased ifaparticular researchactivityis deemedcritical to accomplish theLexingtonVA Medical Center researchmission, i.e.,asevaluatedbytheR&D Committee (RDC),service chief,Chief of Staff,andapprovedbythe Director.Additionally,ifthereare critical needs in other activitiesrequired to accomplish themission oftheLexingtonVA MedicalCenter,protected timemaybealtered to fulfill the needs ofthefacility(e.g.,decreasedtocover patientcare/clinicalneeds).Full-time (i.e., or atleast5/8-time) clinicalstaff mayperform research or research-relatedactivitiesand maybegrantedprotected timeaccordingtothe nature ofsuch activities,consistentwith the VERA researchsupportcomponent.

3.RESPONSIBILITIES

a.Director. Ensuringthat investigators are allocatedappropriate timeduringtheir VA tours ofdutyto conduct funded researchandapprovingthe amount of protectedtime.Approvalbythe Directoris final.

b.Associate Chief ofStaff for Research(ACOS/R&D). Ensuringthat allindividualsworkingwithinandsupportingthe researchprogram havebeen officiallyappointedaspaidemployees, withoutcompensationemployees(WOC) employees, oreither appointed ordetailed through theauthorityoftheIntergovernmentalPersonnelAgreement(IPA); and are appropriatelycredentialedandprivileged(ifapplicable).

c.RDCandApplicable Subcommittees: Evaluatingtheproposed project (i.e., includingthetimecommitment ofthePIand participatinginvestigators).Followingreview,RDCdeterminationswill becommunicated to the PI.Itwill betheresponsibilityofthePI andanyparticipatinginvestigators to

informtheir service chiefofthe outcome oftheRDC review asindicatedin the finalapprovalletterfrom the ACOS/R&D.

d.Service Chiefs: Ensuringthatappropriate support is available to ensurethecontinuityofpatientcare while an individual is approved to conduct research duringprotected time forfundedresearch,asapproved bythe Director. Eachyearthe individualwho is conductingresearch on protectedtime willneed to justifyto the Service Chief whyhe/she willneed to continueon protectedtime.Ifjustified, the servicechiefmust ensure that therequested protected timeis documentedandapprovedonthe Memorandum of ServiceLevelExpectations(MSLE) for part-time physicians on adjustable tours.Approvedprotectedresearch timemust also be reflected accuratelyin DSSlabor mappingfor allemployeeswithin the service,asapplicable.

e.PrincipalInvestigators(PI):Obtainingapprovalfor researchprojectsasrequiredthrough theRDCandother applicable subcommittees.Such an authorizationdoes not constitute a commitment toallow for research protected time.The RDC maymake protected time recommendationsbased on acompletedAttachmentB. Suchrecommendation and Attachment Bmust besubmitted to the appropriateservicechief, to theChiefof Staff,and to theMedical Center Director forfinal approval.

4.PROCEDURES: Torequestprotectedtime, thePIalongwithanyco-Investigator(s) must:

a.Discusstheir proposedresearch activityand thepossibilityofobtainingprotected time withtheirservicechief for prior toinitiation of researchactivity.

b.The PImust request the RDCrecommendationsfor protected timebysubmittingMCM 151-04AttachmentB. The RDCwillrecommendan appropriatetime for researchtakinginto consideration anyprotected timepreviouslyallotted to thePI.

c.The PImust submit a requestfor protected time(AttachmentB) and RDC protected timerecommendations through allapprovalchannels beginningwith the servicechief.

d.The service chief willensure thatappropriate documentation(e.g., MSLE, DSSlabor mapping) issubmittedfor processingthrough the COSfor theDirector‘sapproval.

5.REFERENCES: GuidanceLetter, DeputyUnderSecretaryfor Health for OperationsandManagement(10N), dated April 8, 2010; VHA Directives2005-057,Physicianand DentistLaborMapping, dated December 1, 2005.

6.FOLLOW-UPRESPONSIBILITY: Chief of Staff (11) andACOS/R&D (151).

7.RECERTIFICATION: On or beforeOctober26, 2017.

DeWayne Hamlin

ATTACHMENT A-RESEARCHTIMEALLOWANCES

1.VA-FUNDED RESEARCH: Comprisespeer-reviewed Merit ReviewProgramsfundedbytheBiomedicalLaboratoryR&D, RehabilitationR&D,HealthServices R&D, and ClinicalScience R&Dwhichincludes the Cooperative StudiesProgram;VA ResearchCenters(e.g.,REAP,GRECC,etc.);andother VA national, regional, andlocalspecialprojects(e.g.,VARFAs,VISN).Consistentwith theVERA ResearchSupportallocationsystem,clinicalstaff MAYBE CONSIDERED for approval ofprotected time equivalent to amaximum ofthe FTEE fractionsnoted below:

a.PrincipalInvestigator onMeritReview or similarVA-fundedproject 0.375(15hr/wk)

b.Co-Investigator (minimum 5% effort)on a VA-fundedprogram 0.125(5 hr/wk)

c.Chairperson ofa VA Cooperative Study0.500(20 hr/wk)

d.LocalPrincipalInvestigator ofa VA CooperativeStudy0.125(5hr/wk)

e.Director ofa VA Research Center 0.500 (20 hr/wk)

f.ClinicalResearch Nurseworking a specifiednumber of hours/weekasa coordinator or managerofa VA-funded (i.e., includingsalary) project (e.g., Cooperative Study) 0.125 -1.000 (5-40hr/wk)

2.VA RESEARCH-RELATED ACTIVITIES:Comprise participation(i.e.,includingrequiredtraining) in R&D Committee/Subcommitteesandmentoring.Protected time MAY BE CONSIDEREDandapproved toa maximum ofthe FTEE fractions below:

a.Chairperson R&D Committee orits subcommittees0.125 (5hr/wk)

b.Member oftheR&DCommitteeorits subcommittees 0.063 (3hr/wk)

c.Mentor for aVA-fundedyounginvestigator 0.063(3hr/wk)

3.NON-VAFUNDEDPEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH: Comprisespeer-reviewedprojectsevaluatedandfundedbyinternational,national, orstate organizations(e.g.,NIH,NSF,DOD, researchfoundations,professionalassociations,etc.).Protected time MAY BE CONSIDEREDandapprovedto amaximum ofthe FTEE fractionsbelow:

a.PrincipalInvestigator 0.125 (5hr/wk)

b.Co-Investigator (minimum 5 % effort)0.063 (3 hr/wk)

4.NON-VAFUNDEDNON-PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH: Comprisesnon-peer reviewedresearch protocols funded byindustry(e.g.,pharmaceuticalcompany) orprivate (e.g.,foundation,

individualdonor,bequest,etc.) sponsorsthrough afullyexecutedClinical Trial. The FTEE fractionsnotedbelow represent themaximum timesallowedfor aninvestigator withmultiple non-VA,non-peer-reviewed protocols. Time allowed for investigatorswith a single protocolwill be at the discretionoftheMedicalCenter Director.Protected time MAY BECONSIDEREDandapproved to amaximum oftheFTEE fractionsbelow:

a.PrincipalInvestigator 0.09 (4hr/wk)

b.Co-Investigator 0.03 (1.2hr/wk)

5.NON-FUNDED RESEARCH: Comprisesnon-peer-reviewed proposals(e.g., pilot studies,researchtrainingprojectsforresidents) evaluatedbythe RDC/Subcommitteesfor scientific merit.Time allowedfor non-fundedresearchasrecommendedbytheRDCwill be at theexclusive discretion ofthe MedicalCenter Director.

ATTACHMENTB-REQUEST FOR PROTECTED TIME

1.RequestingResearcher:

I, (printname),amrequestingprotected timeto;

a.Conductresearch fortheprojecttitled"."Activefrom

through.

b.Serve aschair/member ofcommittee/subcommittee.

c.Serve asmentorfor

Icurrentlyhaveprotected time for the followingresearchactivities:ActivityHRS

Iunderstandthat ifmyrequest for protected timeis approvedbytheMedical Center Director it is goodfor amaximum ofoneyear with extensions.Ialsounderstandthat the timesallocated must beinaccordance with the requirement ofthis MCM.

I requesthrs/week to conductmyresearch.I am currentlyon staffathours/week.

(Signature)(Date)

2.Service ChiefRecommendation:Ihave reviewed this request for protectedtime.Iverifythat theresearch activitynoted belowis approved:

VAFunded

VAResearchRelated(Committee service;mentoring)

Non-VAfunded,peer reviewed

Non-VAfunded,non-peerreviewed

Non-fundedresearch

Based upon this practitioner’seighthsassignedand guidance in MCM 151-04,I recommendtotal protected timeof hrs/week.

Service Chief Signature:Date:_

ProtectedTime Request for:

3.Chiefof StaffConcurrence:Irecommend thefollowingbased upon myreview:

a.I recommendapprovalof the servicechief’srecommendationabove.

b.I recommendapprovalof this request, but onlyforhrs/week.

c.I recommenddisapprovalofthis requestfor protected time.

Chief of Staff Signature:Date:

4.Director’sConcurrence:

Theaboverequest is NOT approved.

Iapprove protected time for this providerin the amount ofhours/weekfor aperiod not to exceed oneyearfrom thedateofmysignature below.

Director’sSignature:Date