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Indiana University School of Medicine
Indiana University Office of Clinical Research
Roadmap

Department Setup of Participant Payments

There are many systems that can provide electronic research participant payments, such as Greenphire, ClinCard, and Scout. Sponsors will give instructions when their payment system is used. Indiana University offers Advarra payments, with instructions provided below.

When any electronic payment system is utilized, the study’s informed consent should include specific language that outlines the payments, the requirement for participants to provide their social security number, and any tax implications. Suggested language can be found in the IU IRB Informed Consent Template available on the IU HRPP Forms and Templates page.

Advarra Payments

Advarra Participant Payments is an automated system integrated with OnCore that helps pay research subjects securely and effortlessly after each visit. With Advarra Payments research participants are paid instantly with a pre-paid debit card. The same card is loaded after each visit. The protocol and participants must be entered into OnCore to use the Advarra participant payment system. Visit OCR Participant Payments on the OCR website for more information.

Getting Started

  • Request training and account access for Advarra through this link. You only need access to pay participants. After completing the Redcap form, you’ll receive an email link for Advarra University.
  • The participant payment system is easy to use and features multiple modules, allowing you to start and return as needed. Advarra University will provide all necessary training documentation and information.
  • After completing the training, please inform the OnCore/Advarra team by sending an email to oncore@iu.edu. You may provide a brief notification that you have finished your training and are prepared to receive an account in the production system. Advarra University and the Advarra Participant Payments are distinct systems with separate accounts, and the OnCore/Advarra team will create your account once the training is completed.

  • After your account is confirmed in the payment system, inform your department Advarra administrator to be added to protocols. Once added, you can process payments with the pre-paid debit card.
  • You will only see protocols in Advarra Participant Payments if you have been added to them. Even if you are able to view the study in OnCore, it will not be visible in Advarra unless you are added. Therefore, it is important to inform your Advarra administrator once you have your account.

Payment Processing

  • Payments will be loaded onto the same card throughout the duration of the study or as long as the patient remains a participant. If a card is lost, inform your department Advarra administrator for instructions on obtaining a replacement.
  • Please do not authorize any payments in advance of a visit, this is highly discouraged by the Advarra payments team.
  • Once a payment is made it cannot be undone or voided due to banking laws, even if it was an accident.
  • You may tell the patient/caregiver that payments are normally available in 24-48 hours as a buffer, but it is usually instantaneous.
  • You will notice that the card also comes with information that the participant can use to register an account with Hyper Wallet. Hyper Wallet is a system connected to the debit card, that allows participants to track their available funds and expenses. Hyper Wallet is not a requirement, but some participants like to use it to check their balance on the card and create a pin number for security.
    • Once the participant’s card balance reaches $1,000.00, they must either use the card to reduce the balance so that additional funds can be loaded or create a Hyper Wallet account.
    • Additionally, participants have the option of visiting their bank to transfer their funds directly into their bank account. This cannot be done electronically and must be requested in person at their bank.

Compensating Study Partners or Caregivers

Participants and study partners must be entered into OnCore to be paid through Advarra. If the study partner will receive payment, using their real MRN is not necessary. Most coordinators use the same sequence number as the main participant and add CG (caregiver) to the end of the number sequence. Once participants are entered into OnCore, they can be searched for and paid in Advarra. These systems are integrated with name, date of birth, and contact info if available in OnCore. Visits and calendar information do not convert.

  • Do not create a manual account in Advarra. This will not be linked to the OnCore protocol, and you will not be able to pay them under this account.

Advarra cannot identify if someone is the main participant, study partner, or their phase/arm in the study. All visits will appear under each person. Verify with informed consent which visits they should be paid for.

Tax Information

The United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires Indiana University to report amounts paid to research participants exceeding $600 per calendar year. This $600 threshold is a cumulative total from any number of studies in which an individual participant is enrolled.

To facilitate the IU tax department’s year-end reporting, study teams should collect a W-9 form from each participant and enter their Social Security Numbers into the Participant Payment System during enrollment. This process ensures that if participants receive $600 or more in stipends across any studies, the Office of the University Controller can prepare the required report promptly. If the Social Security Number is not entered by January, the Research Team must contact the participant to obtain the SSN and update the Payments System.

IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center (IUSCCC) Additional Information

For Cancer Center Trials (studies involving cancer patients):

For studies involving the Cancer Center’s Adult Clinical Trials Office (CTO), please reach out to cto-finance-l@list.iu.edu for more specific details on payment velocity, training, etc.

For studies involving the Cancer Center’s Pediatric Team, please reach out to Anne Bubnick (abubnick@iu.edu) and Melissa Lee (mellee@iu.edu) for support with the participant payment process.

Resources and Contacts

For Advarra Participant payments information, training, access request, and guidance documents visit the OCR Participant Payments Website. 

For questions related to the Advarra Participant Payments system, please contact the OCR Research Systems team at oncore@iu.edu.

Department setup of participant payments is only one component of study activation. Additional requirements should be reviewed using the Clinical Research Roadmap.