Whilst working onsite as an external researcher, if access to emr for the purpose of research is required, the external researcher will be required to submit further documentation to the Research Office.
Please note that for all new applications for research, the application must be submitted into Regis with the Site Specific Assessment (SSA) by the PI.
To apply for emr access for an external researcher working on an approved project, please submit a site amendment in REGIS within the related site application by selecting amendment type as ‘General Amendment’ within the form and uploading the list of documentation listed in the table below to enable emr access’. An authorization of this submission must be obtained from the Research Office prior to the external researcher accessing emr on site.
Click here 
for a step by step guide on how to submit a site amendment in REGIS. Please note there is no fee associated with adding external researchers to a project.
Clinical Trial monitors visiting any NSLHD site for the purpose of monitoring clinical trial activity that require emr access must also submit an application to the Research Office via REGIS as per the submission instructions stated in the above paragraph.
The below outlines the documents required to enable eMR access for all external researchers;
Please note that any Employees of any LHD other than NSLHD applying for emr access as an external researcher must submit a National Police Check and Copies of identification listed in NPC identification checklist (please refer to this
table for details)
Contingent worker spread sheet - The Contingent Worker spreadsheet requires the nomination of a supervising manager (the person the external researcher/contractor will report to). Please note the supervising manager must always be an employee of NSLHD. It is recommended that the Principal Investigator or Research Coordinator assume the role of supervising manager. Please note all mandatory fields (i.e. Blue fields) must be completed in the Contingent Worker spread sheet.
The next steps required to obtain emr access are outlined here;
1. Once completed application for emr access is received by the Research Office, the application will be sent to Employee Services for processing.
2. Once processed, Employee Services will send the assignment number to the Supervising Manager and the Research Office.
3. Supervising Manager to complete and submit the ICT form
Network and application Access form – New Account FM 1216 with the external research personnel.
Select the following fields on the form:
eMR Clinical Role - 'Researcher'
eMR Credential - 'Research Officer'
4. Once processed, ICT will notify the Supervising Manager via a system generated email.
5. The supervising manager contacts the relevant Health Information Services pertaining to the records required in the research approval:
For Royal North Shore: NSLHD-RNSHIS-MedicoLegal@health.nsw.gov.au
For Hornsby: NSLHD-HKH-HIS-MedicoLegal@health.nsw.gov.au
For Ryde: NSLHD-RYDE-HIS-Medicolegal@health.nsw.gov.au
For Manly, Brookvale or Mona Vale: NSLHD-NB-HIS-Medicolegal@health.nsw.gov.au
For Macquarie: NSLHD-MCQ-HIS@health.nsw.gov.au
To be included in email:
- Copy of Research Request
- Copy of research governance authorisation & ethics approval
- Contingent Worker Spread sheet (including end date of project and researcher personnel contact details)
- Confirmation from ICT of eMR account created
- Researcher contact details
- List of patients whose records the research personnel requires access to, including patient first name, last name, date of birth and Medical Record Number (MRN) and this should include the encounter/visit that you need to view as patients.
6. HIS will create custom research list in eMR and advise researcher and supervising manager by email that the eMR custom list is available.
7. On the project completion date in the Contingent Worker Spread Sheet, HIS will delete the custom list in eMR. Extensions to the project completion date will require an application to the research office for an extension to ethics approval.
The steps are also included in the procedure,
HEALTH RECORDS: EXTERNAL RESEARCH PERSONNEL ACCESS TO THE EMR.
