Office of Research Finance & Administration (ORFA)

The Office of Research Finance & Administration (ORFA) supports the advancement of clinical research by providing administrative support for research activities across the institution. The office oversees both pre-award and post-award functions, including contract negotiation, budget development, and the collection and posting of research payments. ORFA is also responsible for the creation of coverage analyses, ensuring that clinical research costs are appropriately allocated and billed. ORFA maintains billing integrity by performing research billing reviews of all charges for subjects enrolled in clinical trials. In addition, ORFA supports general research compliance, working closely with research teams to ensure alignment with regulatory and ethical standards and institutional policies, thereby fostering a culture of integrity and accountability in research.

Pre-Award

Our Pre-Award team plays a vital role in supporting research through the early stages of the grant and contract lifecycle. All new research projects conducted within CHRISTUS facilities are submitted to the ORFA team through eProposal in IRIS. The following pre-award activities are coordinated and managed by ORFA to ensure compliance, accuracy, and efficiency throughout the pre-award process:

• Research Coverage Analysis
• Line-Item Budget Review in conjunction with the Research Coverage Analysis
• Grant Review and Submission
• Management of Research Administrative Charge Master/Fee Schedule
• Fair Market Value Assessments
• Contract Review and Negotiation
  • Master Clinical Trial Agreements
  • Clinical Trial Agreements
  • Confidential Disclosure Agreements
  • Material Transfer Agreements
  • Data Use Agreements
  • Business Associate Agreements
  • Subcontracts and Subawards
  • Research-Related Service Agreements
  • Research-Related Facility Use Agreements
  • Amendments

Post-Award & Research Finance

The ORFA team manages the financial and administrative aspects of research projects after contract execution. Their responsibilities include completing study builds in our clinical trial management system, setting up study accounts, tracking expenditures, invoicing sponsors, posting payments, monitoring budget compliance, processing amendments, and ensuring accurate financial reporting.

The ORFA team is responsible for the management of our clinical trial management system and stipend payments through Greenphire. In collaboration with our accounting partners, ORFA also provides comprehensive management of research finances to ensure accurate and timely reporting. This includes:

• Time and Effort Reporting
• Internal Financial Reporting
• Account/General Ledger Reporting
• Financial Reconciliation

Research Billing Compliance

ORFA’s research billing compliance team ensures that all clinical research-related charges are accurately and appropriately billed in accordance with federal regulations, institutional policies, and payer requirements. The team is responsible for:

• 100% Pre-Bill Review: Conducting a comprehensive review of all charges associated with research participants in EPIC to ensure they are billed correctly—either to the study sponsor or to the patient’s insurance—based on the approved coverage analysis.
• Coverage Analysis Validation: Ensuring that each study has a detailed and accurate coverage analysis that outlines which procedures are billable to insurance versus the sponsor.
• Claims Review and Routing: Reviewing clinical charges in EPIC before they are released to payers, verifying alignment with the study protocol, informed consent, and coverage analysis.
• Collaboration with Revenue Cycle Teams: Working closely with patient financial services, coding, and billing departments to ensure proper claim routing, prevent duplicate billing, and resolve discrepancies.
• Ongoing Monitoring and Auditing: Performing routine audits and retrospective reviews to identify and correct billing errors, and to ensure continued compliance with CMS, NCDs, LCDs and institutional standards.
• Education and Training: Providing guidance and training to research staff, investigators, and billing personnel on compliant billing practices and documentation requirements.

Research Compliance

The Research Compliance Team is responsible for ensuring that all research activities conducted within the institution adhere to applicable ethical, regulatory, and institutional standards. This includes oversight of financial and billing compliance, adherence to Good Clinical Practice, institutional policies, applicable regulatory requirements, study protocols and the informed consent process. Through routine and for-cause audits—both remote and onsite—the team reviews study documentation, monitors protocol compliance, and ensures that investigators and research staff maintain accurate records and follow all regulatory obligations throughout the study lifecycle. ORFA collaborates closely with the IRB, legal, EPIC and revenue cycle teams to ensure a coordinated and comprehensive approach to research oversight.