Fairview Frontiers

How does research play a role in community health at the hub? Fairview Frontiers is a clinical trials division of our health system that brings in new research studies from across the world to the benefit of patients. These clinical trials have taken place at St. Joseph’s Hospital for nearly 15 years, but have moved into new space at the hub, doubling capacity and welcoming more patients to research opportunities. Andrew Snyder, director of clinical research, shares about why research is a valuable service to have at the hub. 
 

What opportunities does Fairview Frontiers offer the community?

Fairview Frontiers conducts state-of-the-art research projects designed to engage with the local community and the broader health system. We do many industry-sponsored trials, partnering with pharmaceutical, medical device, or new technology companies to study how their products can help improve people’s lives. We're excited to find new clinical trials that we can really select for the local community, to provide them with new medications or other technologies to better support health, which is what the hub is here to do. Our research activities are low-barrier and non-invasive, and can serve as entry points into longer-term studies and trials. 

What do you want the community to know about Fairview Frontiers?

So many people have never considered participating in a research study or experienced the positive benefits that come along with that, such as no-cost medication, access to specialists, or being able to try out new technologies that may benefit them and that they might find interesting. We'd love everyone to know that we're here and invite you to come down and try and experience participation in a clinical trial. Research hasn’t always been accessible and equitable across communities, especially in diverse or underserved areas. And this is a missed opportunity. If we don’t include everyone in research, certain groups and the greater good might miss out on important findings. We are mindful of feelings of distrust or trauma held by communities of color related to medical research. Our goal is to help build trust with our community so that anyone in the surrounding area can choose to engage if they are interested in research.  

What excites you most about the hub?

We are excited to partner with others at the hub, including the M Health Fairview Center for Community Health Equity, to introduce research to people who might not have considered participating before, and provide an environment where research is accessible and comfortable. I'm excited about our new at the hub that has been designed with our patients’ experience in mind. We're excited to open up our doors and welcome in other patients from groups within the Hub itself, as well as to the community at large.