Leveraging RCM to Streamline Departmental Research Administration

James Riley - University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine

Departmental administrators frequently have closer ties to the faculty with whom they collaborate. Meanwhile, central offices may be experiencing increases in proposals and awards without subsequent growth in staffing levels. During this session we will review a system of distributed university signing authority that permits experienced research administrators to submit grants directly to sponsors on behalf of the institution. Presenters will engage the audience through exercises to determine best practices, identify potential risks, and establish an appropriate scope for implementation. The discussion will be guided by experience with a program now operational for over six years and which continues to grow. We will review critical lessons learned and discuss faculty feedback while reviewing how faculty have responded and what AOR experiences have been.

Learning Objectives

1. Implement a distributed approvals model to support decentralized administrative needs.
2. Evaluate a process to determine best practices and determine eligibility for such an approach by evaluating risk and assessing keys to a successful implementation.
3. Develop and improve interface with faculty constituents and between central and departmental offices.

CPE Available

• 1 Credit: Business Management & Organization