TransCard, a provider of electronic payment and prepaid debit card solutions branded with MasterCard, Discover, STAR and PULSE associations, has partnered with UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh to launch an electronic solution for paying participants in medical studies.
UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh jointly developed an automated application called “WePay” in order to pay research study participants. Transcard said that the application provides reporting and auditing capabilities to ensure compliance with all funding source requirements, improves central administration reporting and auditing capabilities, and maintains participant confidentiality while complying with federal laws.
The WePay application integrates into TransCard to electronically distribute payments to study participants, who then use prepaid MasterCard payment cards to access their funds. Along with the integration, TransCard supports a method for HIPAA privacy compliance to protect cardholder confidentiality.
Jerry Uffner, president of TransCard, said: “This technology improves compliance with various regulations, decreases the costs of funds distribution significantly and provides electronic reconciliation of funds for both institutions. Our ability to quickly and smoothly integrate with UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh, while supporting a unique HIPAA-compliant solution, is a great example of our technology and willingness to develop custom solutions for our clients.”
Susan Gilbert, assistant treasurer at the University of Pittsburgh, said: “The combined efforts of both organizations’ researchers, information technology specialists and internal finance/accounting/legal professionals culminated in this state-of-the-art research participant payment program.
“Confidentiality and security of individual information were crucial. Likewise, the system needed to be able to cover research participants in Pittsburgh and beyond, and accommodate those research participants who do not necessarily have bank accounts.”
