October 2005

Northwestern submits grant proposal for EBH study

The Wolfe-Harris Center for Clinical Studies at Northwestern Health Sciences University recently submitted a grant proposal, entitled the CAM Research Education Partnership Project, to the National Institutes of Health.

The proposal is for an $800,000, four-year project that aims to facilitate the practice of evidence-based healthcare by complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners. The project would be done in collaboration with the University of Minnesota.

According to Roni Evans, DC, MS, dean of research at Northwestern, evidence-based healthcare (EBH) has been subject to considerable misunderstanding. She says that EBH is often misrepresented by its critics as relying entirely on scientific evidence, and is frequently misused by third-party payers to deny payment for services.

Evans also notes that the traditions and philosophies of some CAM practices may appear inconsistent with science and systematic observation. Evans emphasizes however, that in reality, there are many different types of evidence, incorporating a broad range of perspectives that should inform clinical decisions.

The goal of the project is to develop and implement a research curriculum to enhance students’, faculty members’, and field practitioners’ evidence-based healthcare-and information-management skills.

Northwestern would work in collaboration with an experienced team of educational designers and information management experts from the University of Minnesota, Tufts University, and the University of Virginia to develop the multi-faceted research program for students, faculty, and alumni.

A particular focus of the project will be to develop an innovative Web-based research curriculum that is patient-oriented and program-specific that can be efficiently integrated into each of Northwestern’s educational programs.

If accepted, the project will be lead by Roni Evans and Mary Jo Kreitzer, director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality and Healing.

The proposal will be reviewed in the spring of 2006 and notification of acceptance or denial made by June 2006.

Source: Northwestern Health Sciences University, www.nwhealth.edu

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