Throughout the course of a study, researchers may wish to communicate with participants using a range of methods. When using email or text, guidelines described in the Email & Text Recruitment Guidelines section apply to the scenarios described below. Depending on the method used, you may need to follow specific guidelines, particularly if your study falls under HIPAA or FERPA.

Under UW Health Policy 6.24 – Methods for Communicating with Patients, you may not obtain a patient’s email or telephone number from Health Link without the patient’s consent for the purpose of using it to email or text the patient for research purposes absent approval by UW Health Business Integrity Office. See also Clinical Recruitment Guidelines for additional restrictions on use of email and texting.

• Using email or text to schedule initial study visit: Upload a copy of the email or text script you will use to schedule initial visits in the IRB application. You must obtain permission from participants before using email or text to schedule a visit. Subject to restrictions noted above, permission may be obtained by emailing or texting subjects to ask if they agree to set up an appointment by email before sending scheduling information. Emails or texts scheduling an initial visit may not include information about the subject’s health unless they provide permission to do so. Even with subject permission, the email should contain as little health information as is necessary to convey the intended message.
• Using email or text as part of study participation: The consent form must include information on how email or text will be used in the study and the study team must obtain permission to communicate with the subject by email. You cannot require that subjects provide an email address or phone number in order to participate in a research study unless the study cannot be carried out without access to email or phone number. Subjects should be informed if message and data rates may apply. Additionally, subjects may request that email no longer be used to communicate about the study, without any loss or penalty.
• Phone: Whether calling potential subjects for recruitment purposes or communicating with participants during the study, you should avoid leaving voicemail messages that include any information about the subject’s health (e.g., identifying that you are calling from a specific clinic).