ICON - Salt Lake City — Attraction in Millcreek

Lots of bad reviews on here, which I don't fully understand. Yes there are lots of requirements for each study, yes there are follow ups, sometimes many follow ups, yes you will not always get into a study. I have done two studies so far. I've gotten into three, but backed out of one with no repercussions.

PHONE SCREENINGS When you call in to the recruitment line, they will tell you what studies you MIGHT qualify for. Then they ask you a series of questions about your health/lifestyle and depending on that, they will either schedule you for an in person screening or tell you that you didn't qualify.

IN PERSON SCREENINGS Screenings are straight forward. Be on time. Expect screenings to take between 2-4 hours depending on how many people are screening for that study on that day and when your name gets called. Screening involves going over the study details, signing paperwork, physical exam, urine and bloodwork, ECG, and a questionnaire about your health and lifestyle.

ADDITIONAL SCREENINGS Occasionally, you will have to do additional tests, such as MRIs to qualify. These additional screenings are usually paid.

ACCEPTANCE INTO STUDY You will have very short notice if you do get into a study. Typically you will receive the acceptance phone call the week of the study. It is ultimately up to you to decide if travel/time off work is worth the money.

CHECK-IN Check-in is behind the building and down the ramp. That can be confusing if it's your first time, but it's easily found. They will COVID test you and give you a parking pass if necessary. Then you will wait in the seating area for 1-3 hours depending on how many people are checking in, so bring headphones or a book.

WHAT TO BRING I bring my own bed sheets/pillow and a heating pad/hygiene items. Their pillows are not the most comfortable and the blankets are itchy. It's just like staying at a hospital. If you don't care about that, they will provide you with sheets/blanket/one pillow. As far as clothes, you won't need anything besides under garments/socks/maybe a hoodie if you get cold easily, otherwise you will be in scrubs. For one study, I was in a t-shirt. My stay was 2 weeks and they only provided 2 shirts. Laundry was once a week. This is where I deduct a star because it was not hygienic and the higher ups didn't seem to care. Bring whatever will keep you busy/entertained. I bring my laptop, headphones, airpods, chargers, journal, and a book.

WHAT NOT TO BRING This changes depending on who searches your things, but I've had my shampoo/conditioner/lotion/makeup taken away but sometimes I am allowed to have it, so that is inconsistent. They do provide shampoo/conditioner/lotion/chapstick/q-tips/pads/toothpaste/etc. but they are not the best quality.

YOUR STAY It's not going to be the most comfortable stay ever, but it's a study. You're being paid a good amount for your time, so I can live with it. Overall, its not bad. It's a hospital bed that will move up and down, sit up a good bit, feet come up too. Sometimes you are in a room with several other subjects and big windows, sometimes you get your own room with a tv, but no windows. The place could be cleaner. I've always found hair/debris in the drawers where you put your things. The showers have been moldy a few times. There is a rec room if you want to watch tv or play board games/video games or hang out with the other study patients. Hallways are kept clean, and they take your trash several times a day.

FOOD Food is the worst part.

STAFF The staff, for the most part, are friendly as long as you are respecting them, they will respect you. I've only had two bad experiences with the staff. However, I have been there 4 different stays, and two bad experiences is relatively low in my opinion.

PAY You get paid 30 days AFTER your last visit with them, yes this includes follow ups. Sometimes they break payments up so you'll get paid more frequently, however they legally have 30 days from the last time they see you, to pay you. Yes sometimes its sooner, but don't bug them if it hasn't been...

Hello, I am currently here for a 70 day study and this has been my experience so far. For lack of a better term this place just seems amateurish, lazy and just has a lack of urgency and consideration.

The things listed below aren’t genius level suggestions or realizations. For a company and clinic that’s been here 10 plus years it’s kinda mind boggling that this just isn’t standard practice.

SHOWERING. If you have a floor with 40 patients on it and only 3 showers, why are scrubs only handed out once a day? Wouldn’t it be more logical to have at least 2 designated times ( one in the morning, one in the afternoon) that way the shower use would be spread out?

SPACING AND ENTERTAINMENT. If you haven’t been here the facility is extremely small and the common area is tiny. I’m talking about barely anyplace to have a personal phone call tiny. Unlike other ICONS or other clinical study clinics this place has practically zero entertainment activities besides 1 shared television. So that means 40 people on a floor to one shared television in an already tiny room. The things that they do have such as the puzzles or board games are outdated and have missing pieces. There is a room that’s across the hall on the same floor that’s used daily for absolutely nothing. If you have 32 people here for 70 days and trying to keep the morale of the group up , wouldn’t you find a way to allow access to the room even if it’s for a designated time slot?

FOOD. Now speaking of the food, it is terrible. There’s one thing to have bad food for like a two week study and just having to deal with it, but when your here for 70 days there should be some level of a higher standard. Also during a meeting, one of the head guys mentioned that it was an idea to have pizza during it, why mention that if your not doing it to 32 people that are already complaing about the food quality and proportions??????? like that just doesn’t make sense.

PACKAGES. Speaking of packages, once again we are here FOR 70 DAYS! Why is it a discussion weather or not we would be able to receive packages???? Like in what world with all the things I listed above would it be appropriate not receive packages. The head staff just seem unorganized and didn’t have a clear plan, at one point when it was finially approved we were told that we could only receive it ONCE a month. My thing is this wasn’t a last minute study, why weren’t these things thought out already? why isn’t there a common procedure? And one that’s not ONCE a month, that’s just beyond unacceptable.

PAYMENT. Once again, we are here for 70 DAYS! You guys knew this months in advance, why give us a card that you can’t transfer the funds to your bank when there is a card available that allows that ???? Like in what world did you think that 32 people wouldn’t need to access there payments for 70 DAYS! It just gives off laziness and poor planning.

The things I listed aren’t hard demands, there simple things that would have be acknowledged and fixed a long time ago by the head staff if they actually just cared.

also to protect my identity, this was posted from a burner account.

**update, this place is officially a joke. Only one thing stated earlier has changed, WE NOW ONLY GET 10 MINUTES TO SHOWER! The place is officially a joke and the upper management is incompetent.

• another update, this is late but worth letting everyone know. after several people submitted there truthful experience about what was going on we were all called into a room and told that if we didn’t take down the reviews they would ban us from ever doing a...

I screened Dec. 21st 2021 (side note: their waiting lobby is freezing cold bring a jacket) and they contacted me a little over a week later saying labs were good to go. Admit / check-in is set for 4th Jan. so fingers crossed. This was for a study that lasted 21-days, and pay $9,950.

Things to note: PHONE SCREEN: Recruitment agents were friendly, professional, and answered all my questions via phone. Make sure when you call to confirm (and double confirm) they have you signed up for the correct cohort. When I initially called-in the agent put me in the wrong one, but I called back a few days later and corrected that.

SCREENING APPT was fast, efficient, and handled with care from the staff on-site. The routine ECGs, blood work, physical, and urine collection was smooth. I think I was out within 1.5 hours, yay! After the screening, I called my assigned staff member but apparently I had the wrong number so I emailed her. She emailed me right-away and gave helpful updates. I would recommend those following-up regarding lab results to email instead of calling, they definitely respond quicker that way.

Next is my chest x-ray appointment, which thankfully is paid, with same day admit / check-in. I'll update the review post admissions.

1/11/22 - Got into the study. At screening recruitment said they were admitting 10 participants, but come to find out not true. Also, they didn't tell me I didn't have to fast so showing up hungry sucked. Recruitment staff definitely needs better training! When I checked in, day -2, they told all nine volunteers only 4 of us would get into the study. Fortunately I was one of the 4 but 5 other guys were sent home.

With regards to compensation, BE WARNED! They don't pay participants ANY portion of the compensation until AFTER you check-out. I was in-house for 21 days and they didn't release ANY funds whatsoever. Wow! What an absolute inconsiderate way to pay for our time, especially if we're here close to a month. This will be the only and last time I do a study here. Per their current process, you get paid within 30-days of discharge via their inconvenient ClinCard. No direct deposit, no paper check at discharge, no consideration what so ever, and no accurate (or reasonable) information as to when exactly you can expect payment.

Updated rating to 1 star for misinformation from recruitment, outrage of compensation process, and poor (and disingenuous) communication skills from nurses and all around staff. Do better! There's way better (and more honest) competitors out there.

I'll update the post with exactly how many days I had to wait to get paid.

2/1/22 - It's been 28 days since day 1 in and not a dime has been loaded on my clincard. Not for screening, for x-ray, nothing! It's clear now they are intentionally taking advantage of hard-working participants and hiding behind their loosely weaved words.

I've gotten mixed messages from their recruitment saying per ICF they have up-to 30 days to pay us but no rational explanation as to why it's taking so long. They say they only have 1 person handling their payments (I find disingenuous for a big corporation like them), and when you ask to speak to someone in their Finance department they say no b/c of their ridiculous 30-day policy.

2/15/22 - It took 8 business days to get paid. Also got a considerate email from one of their Manager's who clearly knew exactly what he was talking about. Ultimately, screening was good, stay was good, pay was good (although they...