Checklist: Does Your Project Require OHSN-REB Review?
Is this a resubmission to a previously submitted QI vs Research Checklist Form?
If yes, please indicate project ID number :
Project Title (exact name as the name automatically pulls into letter):
QI Project Leader name:
QI Project Leader email address:
Department/Division:
QI Project Supervisor name:
(mandatory for all trainee, medical students, residents and Fellows projects)
QI Project Supervisor email address:
(mandatory for all trainee, medical students, residents and Fellows projects)
Name of Institution of where the QI project will occur:
Potential Start Date
Potential End Date
Target population, process, program or system:
Please provide a brief description of your project including your project’s specific objective, method, risks entailed and how the results of the project will be used.
Please complete the following checklist.
SECTION 1 - If you answer "YES" to any of the questions in SECTION 1, your project is research. Proceed to submit a REB application through the IRIS system.
a. Does the project involve the use of an investigational medical device, drug or natural health product or off-label use of an existing drug/device?
b. Is the project funded by, or being submitted to, a research funding agency for a research grant or award that requires research ethics review?
Please submit a REB application through the IRIS system.
SECTION 2 - Continue with the questions in SECTION 2 below to further assist us to make the determination whether your project is "quality improvement" versus "research requiring REB review"
Project Purpose
a. Is the activity primarily intended to improve the process/delivery of care and/or to generate feedback and information to the institution/department/service/program?
b. Is the activity intended to evaluate current practice and/or attempt to improve it based upon existing knowledge?
Evidence
c. Is there already sufficient existing evidence to support implementing this activity to create practice change?
Staff involvement
d. Is the activity conducted by clinicians and staff who provide care or are responsible for the practice change in the institution where the activity will take place?
Project Design
e. Are the methods for the activity flexible and include approaches to make and evaluate rapid and incremental changes?
f. If participants are involved, is the method to include them flexible (e.g. no randomization)?
Consent
g. Will the planned activity only require consent that is already obtained in clinical practice, and could the activity be considered part of the usual care?

Note: Quality Improvement activities that are not part of standard of care may require informed consent
Risks
h. Is the risk to patients/participants no greater than what is involved in the care they are already receiving OR can participating in the activity be considered acceptable or ordinarily expected when practice changes are implemented within a healthcare environment?
Benefit
i. Is the knowledge sought expected to directly benefit a population, process, or system at the Institution/department/service/program?
Publication of Project
j. Does this quality improvement (QI) study have potential to generate publishable results?
k. Will these results be published in QI journal(s) only?
This project requires REB review for determination of Research vs. Quality Improvement. Please upload project plan/protocol.
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Based on your responses, this project appears to be a Quality Improvement (QI) initiative and does not require Research Ethics Board (REB) review. Chair Review is required if an REB exemption letter is needed or if the project is a physician-, resident-, or trainee-led initiative. An REB exemption letter will be issued only if the Chair or Vice-Chair reviews the project before initiation and determines it to be a QI initiative.

Please select one of the following options:
All physician QI initiatives require REB review per the Medical Advisory Committee. If this is a physician QI project, select the blue button below to submit for Chair review (not the Save button).
  • Available only for non-physician, non-resident, or non-trainee QI projects.
  • A copy of this page will be emailed to you for your records.
  • This option does not allow REB review.
  • An REB exemption letter will not be issued.
  • Please ensure the QI project is registered with the appropriate  Institutional Quality Office.
  • Required for all physician-led, resident, and trainee QI projects under Medical Advisory Committee policy.
  • Select this option if you require an REB exemption letter or are unsure whether your project may be considered research.
  • An REB exemption letter will be issued only if the Chair or Vice-Chair reviews the project before initiation and determines it to be a QI initiative.