PCORI announces pilot projects program awards recipients, research topics

June 18, 2012 — The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has announced the approval of 50 research funding awards, totaling $30 million over two years, through its Pilot Projects Program, which will address a broad range of questions about methods for engaging patients in the health research and dissemination process.

“These projects will improve our understanding of how to conduct research and disseminate research findings in ways that are more responsive to the needs of patients and the health care community,” said PCORI Executive Director Joe Selby, MD, MPH. “We are excited to have approved funding for 50 projects nationwide, led by creative and innovative researchers. Their work will help us establish a foundation for patient-centered research that will give patients, caregivers and clinicians the information and tools they need every day.”

The Pilot Projects were selected by PCORI‘s Board of Governors through a competitive, multi-stage review process. Proposals were evaluated for their scientific merit and rigor and fit within the eight areas of interest outlined in the pilot projects announcement. All awards have been approved pending completion of a business review and a formal award agreement with PCORI.

“The impressive volume of high-quality funding applications we received persuaded us to expand the program beyond its original scope to ensure we are capturing as much valuable information as possible to support our patient-centered research efforts,” said PCORI Board of Governors member Christine Goertz, DC, PhD, who played an integral role in developing the PCORI Pilot Projects Program, and thus led the effort to bring it to this juncture. “The Pilot Projects will allow PCORI to learn more about evidence-based methods and strategies, with an emphasis on effectively involving patients in the entire research process, from the selection of research topics to the dissemination of results.”

Goertz is also the vice chancellor for research and health policy at Palmer College of Chiropractic.

Awards, approved for research institutions in 24 states and the District of Columbia, include those for projects designed to develop a range of tools and techniques aimed at improving patient-centered care and decision-making; create new patient-centered care measures; and improve delivery of patient-centered counseling and care in various health care settings.

Details on all awards, including the project name, primary investigator, research institution, funding amount and an abstract, are provided on the PCORI website, pcori.org.

Source: Palmer College of Chiropractic, palmer.edu