By L.V. Kegley
Medicine is a crucial yet complex component of everyone’s life. In Newport News, Health Research of Hampton Roads has worked to advance medicinal knowledge on multiple levels. On Thimble Shoals Boulevard, this facility has been a staple of supporting local health in this location for the last eight years. Health Research of Hampton Roads provides a place for patients to connect with clinical trials. Through these trials, the organization is continuously contributing to the community and medical advancement.
Available clinical trials are always updating, meaning the research facility has a wide variety of incoming patients. Valuing the wide range of human health, the research facility makes sure to reach out to as many potential participants as possible. Even if someone is not a good fit for the current trials, recommendations are the primary way others learn about availability.
Word of mouth is how many patients first learn about Health Research of Hampton Roads. Through the referral program, any member of the community can support the ongoing research. As such, the facility has a wide range in its demographics and is continuing to reach out in the Newport News community. Beyond person-to-person information, the facility has been working to expand its outreach directly.
While many may think of clinical trials as uncertain and risky, the facility helps demystify the process. Dr. Catherine Gular, vice president of clinical services and lead pharmacist, has been involved in clinical research for more than a decade. Knowing the process thoroughly, Gular describes how clinical trials are on a firm foundation regarding safety and quality care. “We are a dedicated research site. We do drug trials for pharmaceutical companies for getting new drugs to market, new indications for medications or a generic medication to medicine,” she says.
Working on an informed consent model, the facility provides patients with comprehensive knowledge about the clinical trial process. Moreover, any participant can opt to exit a trial at any time. Gular says, “This process is a good opportunity to learn about one’s own health and to actually be a part of something that will contribute to society.”
Gular’s experiences with clinical trials are not limited to her time as a professional. While she was an undergraduate, she participated in a clinical trial as a participant. Having recently experienced some bruising from an injury, she was the right patient in the right place, allowing her to connect with a relevant trial. Beyond this experience, she has worked in other pharmaceutical positions, though she finds this facility keeps a familiar humanity in a clinical setting. As she says, “We pride ourselves on our team. We want to be a great place for work, and a great place for patients to receive care.”
In her free time, Gular enjoys spending time with her children. Throughout the years, the facility has maintained connection to the community through its familial culture. A family-run organization, Gular highlights how “it is important that the family comes first, we are local and we’ve been open for 25 years. It’s really something special.”
TO THE POINT:
Health Research of Hampton Roads
Address: 720 Thimble Shoals Blvd., Ste. 110, Newport News, VA 23606
Contact: www.hrhr-inc.com/contact-us
Call: 757-591-8100
Text: 757-300-1102
Fax: 757-591-8100
Email: info@hrhr-inc.com
Website: www.hrhr-inc.com
