Human Subject Research Participant Payments: Focus Blue
Information on how to setup and use the FocusBlue participant payment system
UW's Focus Blue cards are used to pay human subject research participants with a re-loadable debit card (through US Bank).
https://businessservices.wisc.edu/travel-reimbursement/planning-a-trip/focus-blue-cards/
CHM currently has one Focus Blue account for all our research subject payments.
*Note this is only for US citizens, US resident aliens and permanent residents. Non-US citizens/non-residents must be paid with other methods (email chm_purchasing@chm.wisc.edu for current process)
Benefits
- Immediate release of funds to participants
- Ease of multiple payments due to multiple study time points
- Does not require participant to have a current checking account
Current Roles in Focus Blue Account
- Custodian: Brittany Thomson, CHM Center Administrator
- Responsible for overall account, assists with add/modify/delete users
- Reconciler: Debra Dawidziak, CHM Financial Specialist/Accountant
- Monthly reconciliation & replenishment of funds
- Coordinators: 2 individuals from the study team to maintain separation of duties
- Card Activation = role 2.2
- Card Loader (add/remove funds) = role 2.3 (+ funding file upload report feature)
How to get setup in CHM's Focus Blue account
- Complete/Sign and return the following forms to brittany.thomson@wisc.edu
- New User Request Form
- MOU Coordinators
- MOU for Reconciler (only required if adding new reconciler for overall CHM Focus Blue account)
- MOU for Custodian (only required if adding new custodian for overall CHM Focus Blue account)