Case Study: Harvard Medical School Affiliate Hebrew SeniorLife achieves uninterrupted IRB operations and predictable monthly costs with Advarra GPS™ service

Outsourcing an IRB Office Improves Institutional Performance

Harvard Medical School Affiliate Hebrew SeniorLife faced a critical IRB staffing and capacity crisis after its IRB administrator left, creating risk of research disruption and delays. The organization engaged Advarra and its GPS™ service to secure a rapid, turnkey solution that would preserve local institutional checks while increasing review speed and capacity within a 60‑day timeline.

Advarra’s GPS service completely managed the local IRB office, transferring Hebrew SeniorLife’s research portfolio to the Advarra IRB, providing a dedicated GPS IRB director, training on the CIRBI eIRB platform, coordinating SMART IRB reliance transfers, and instituting daily IRB meetings. The outcome: IRB staffing solved, meeting delays eliminated through daily reviews, predictable all‑inclusive monthly costs, faster, hands‑on support for faculty, and continuity of oversight—implemented within weeks to meet the institution’s deadline.

Harvard Medical School Affiliate Hebrew SeniorLife

Kathy Tasker

Vice President Research Administration