Research group announces $452M in grants to study patient-centered care

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Up to $452 million is available to study health care approaches that help physicians, patients and other caregivers make better-informed health choices.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) announced it is inviting proposals for studies and implementation projects involving comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER). The money comes through PCORI, an independent nonprofit organization authorized by Congress to fund research that provides evidence-based information for patient, clinicians, and caregivers to make better-informed health care decisions.

"With these latest funding opportunities, PCORI proudly continues to fulfill its role as a leading funder of patient-centered, comparative clinical effectiveness research," PCORI Executive Director Nakela L. Cook, MD, MPH, said in a statement. "The research funded through these opportunities will generate sound evidence to help patients, their clinicians and caregivers understand their care options and become more empowered decision makers across a range of health conditions. Projects funded through these opportunities also will generate data and strategies that advance PCORI’s National Priorities for Health."

Funding available

There are four PCORI funding announcements (PFAs).

• The Phased Large Awards for Comparative Effectiveness Research (PLACER) PFA seeks proposals on large trials of important dilemmas. PCORI supports study across a dozen broad topic themes involving populations of patients such as older adults or children; health behaviors such as substance use and violence; and health conditions such as cardiovascular health, managing pain, or preventing maternal deaths. Submissions must align with the organization’s National Priorities for Health. Up to $200 million will be available.
• The Broad Pragmatic Studies PFA seeks studies on similar or new topic themes, and using the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network known as PCORnet. It is a network of groups of diverse health care institutions across the country, ranging from large academic health centers to local community clinics, committed to patient-centered research, according to PCORI. Up to $162 million will be available, with up to $90 million available through two targeted PFAs for studies on migraine prevention and hypertension management and control.
• Another PFA seeks data and analysis on enhancing scientific rigor across CER. There will be $12 million available for four priority areas, including methods to improve use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in clinical research.
• PCORI also is seeking studies on strengthening and enhancing the science of engagement in health research, with $4.5 million available.

“Guided by our National Priorities for Health, PCORI’s latest funding opportunities build on the organization’s success in funding research that that provides patients and other health care decision makers with the information they need to make better-informed choices among their health care options,” Harv Feldman, MD, MSCE, PCORI’s deputy executive director for patient-centered research programs, said in the announcement. “These opportunities also reflect PCORI’s commitment to continuously improving the quality of research methods, stakeholder engagement in research, and enabling the generation of sound evidence to be adopted into clinical practice where it benefits patients, clinicians and health systems.”