Every day, patients in Colorado use the UCHealth app to manage appointments and communicate with their doctors. Now, the app offers an additional feature: patients can volunteer for clinical trials and research studies directly through the platform.
The new function allows users to browse ongoing research studies, express interest, and participate if they meet eligibility requirements. This initiative aims to involve more people in medical research, which could lead to improved treatments and a better understanding of diseases.
“When a person participates in research, they are volunteering themselves and their time — a generous gift, to say the least,” said Kirsten Raehal, senior project manager with UCHealth Research Administration.
Raehal explained that there are many types of research opportunities available. “There are all types of research, from looking at new treatments and interventions for diseases that are observational and based on patient outcomes, to the advancement of scientific knowledge that’s required to create new therapies and devices,” she said.
Currently, UCHealth is conducting over 2,300 studies across Colorado. While many are centered near the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver, more than 200 studies take place in other regions such as northern and southern Colorado.
Patients often learn about study opportunities from their doctors during treatment. In some cases, physicians may flag eligible patients’ accounts for specific studies. The research team then contacts these individuals through My Health Connection—UCHealth’s patient portal—allowing them to respond easily if interested.
With recent updates to My Health Connection launched in November 2025, patients can now set up a personal profile indicating their areas of interest—such as women’s health or nutrition—and proactively search for relevant studies by location or topic. Researchers match these profiles with current studies and reach out if there is a potential fit.
The system currently serves about 1.8 million patients within UCHealth; approximately 37,500 have completed their research profiles so far. Raehal encouraged broader participation: “The more people who complete these profiles, the more opportunities we have to connect people with studies. The goal is to have a positive impact on the future of medicine and health care,” she said.
Participation in any study remains voluntary and requires written consent after participants review details about risks, benefits, costs, data usage, and privacy protections. Volunteers can withdraw from a study at any time without explanation.
Most UCHealth studies are investigator-funded—designed by researchers who often receive grants from government agencies or academic institutions—with an emphasis on addressing local healthcare needs quickly. Raehal noted: “Their goal is to improve health care for our local population… Our investigator might see something in the clinical setting and say ‘This is an unmet need, and how can we improve this?’”
Industry-funded projects sponsored by pharmaceutical or biotech companies also occur but typically focus on evaluating product safety or efficacy before market release. Sometimes investigator-initiated projects evaluate industry products for specific uses.
Current examples include research into cannabinoids’ effects on traumatic brain injury symptoms like anxiety or pain; drug trials for diabetes; investigations into links between rheumatoid arthritis and lung disease; and CBD use for mild cognitive impairment.
Interested individuals can explore ongoing studies via My Health Connection’s Research Study tool or through UCHealth’s online database that provides brief descriptions along with researcher contact information. For detailed listings beyond UCHealth’s own site—including national trials—users may visit clinicaltrials.gov operated by the National Library of Medicine.
