In This Week’s Issue:
1. PIPC Releases Best Practices for CER Communication, click here to view the PIPC press release, and here to view the best practices paper.
2. PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho Presents to the CBC Health Braintrust, click here to view the CBC Health Braintrust agenda.
3. Chairman Coelho Urges Stakeholders to Attend PCORI Board Meeting on September 23, click here to view the meeting agenda for this public board meeting.
4. PIPC Congratulates New PCORI Board Chairman, Dr. Grayson Norquist, click here to view the press release.
5. PCORI Blog: Have a Health Question? We May Be Able to Fund a Study that Will Find the Answer, click here to view the blog post.
6. PIPC Attends PCORI Patient Engagement Panel, click here to view the meeting agenda
7. Video: Should Doctors Weigh Costs When Making Decisions?, click here to view the video.
8. PCORI Blog: On Contracts: Improving Our Application Review Process, click here to view the blog post.
9. MedPage Today: Payers Slow to Use Comparative Research Data, click here to view the article.
10. Pink Sheet: Antibiotics Go Head-To-Head In PCORI-Funded Observational Study, click here to view the article (paid subscription required).
1. PIPC Releases Best Practices for CER Communication, click here to view the PIPC press release, and here to view the best practices paper.
2. PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho Presents to the CBC Health Braintrust, click here to view the CBC Health Braintrust agenda.
3. Chairman Coelho Urges Stakeholders to Attend PCORI Board Meeting on September 23, click here to view the meeting agenda for this public board meeting.
4. PIPC Congratulates New PCORI Board Chairman, Dr. Grayson Norquist, click here to view the press release.
5. PCORI Blog: Have a Health Question? We May Be Able to Fund a Study that Will Find the Answer, click here to view the blog post.
6. PIPC Attends PCORI Patient Engagement Panel, click here to view the meeting agenda
7. Video: Should Doctors Weigh Costs When Making Decisions?, click here to view the video.
8. PCORI Blog: On Contracts: Improving Our Application Review Process, click here to view the blog post.
9. MedPage Today: Payers Slow to Use Comparative Research Data, click here to view the article.
10. Pink Sheet: Antibiotics Go Head-To-Head In PCORI-Funded Observational Study, click here to view the article (paid subscription required).
1. PIPC Releases Best Practices for CER Communication
This week, The Partnership to Improve Patient Care (PIPC) outlined its recommended best practices for the communication of comparative effectiveness research (CER) findings. The best practices help chart a path for communicating and implementing CER results in ways that are patient centered and improve care quality. PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho stated, “I am pleased to see that the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute is developing an action plan for disseminating CER research findings, and urge the Institute to work closely with patients and their providers so that the information is useful at the point of care. As a broad-based coalition of patients, providers and other stakeholders, PIPC is pleased to provide to PCORI with constructive guidance in this process. We look forward to continued collaboration.” Click here to view the PIPC press release, and here to view the best practices paper.
2. PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho Speaks at the 2013 CBC Health Braintrust Event
Today, at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Fall 2013 Health Braintrust event, PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho and Dr. Freda C. Lewis-Hall, Chief Medical Officer of Pfizer Inc., talked about the health disparity elimination priorities and recommendations that have been set by the PCORI. Chairman Coelho stated to the CBC Health Braintrust, "Changing the culture of research is not an easy task. Traditionally, research topics are usually driven by researchers, and the researchers do not always adequately engage patients and providers. Therefore research findings, although perhaps interesting, aren’t always particularly useful at the point of care to patients and clinicians. Especially for people in subgroups that tend to receive disparate care...PCORI was created to change that dynamic, to be different, to engage the patient each step of the way – from developing the research agenda to establishing a study design to disseminating findings." The agenda for the CBC Health Braintrust is available here.
3. Chairman Coelho Urges Stakeholders to Attend PCORI Board Meeting on September 23
In an e-mail to stakeholders this week, PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho urged individuals join the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) at its next Board of Governors meeting in Washington, DC on September 23, 2013 at the Westin Hotel in Georgetown (corner of 24th and M NW) from 8:00am-5:00pm. Chairman Coelho said, “My recent opinion in Roll Call describes the tough road ahead for PCORI to overcome a cultural, institutionalized bias that relies on researchers to drive the research agenda in health care. In order for PCORI to meet its mandate, it must truly engage patients and providers at each step of the process – from developing the research agenda, to establishing a study design, and finally to disseminating findings.” PCORI's Board Meeting agenda includes discussions on dissemination of research findings at 10:45am, and its plans for "engagement awards" at 11:30am. In addition, the agenda includes an opportunity for public comment at 2:15pm, providing individuals an opportunity to raise issues of importance to them. Click here to view the meeting agenda for this public board meeting.
4. PIPC Congratulates New PCORI Board Chairman, Dr. Grayson Norquist
On Thursday, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) announced the appointment of Grayson Norquist, MD, MSPH, as chair of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Board of Governors, and the reappointment of Steven Lipstein, MHA, as vice chair. In a press release, PCORI Executive Director Joe Selby said, “We are thrilled with the selection of Dr. Norquist as the next chair of the PCORI Board of Governors. Gray has dedicated his career to researching and improving healthcare for society’s most vulnerable populations.” Click here to view the press release.
The Partnership to Improve Patient Care (PIPC) welcomes the selection of Dr. Grayson Norquist as the new Chairman of the PCORI Board of Governors. In a press release, PIPC’s Chairman Tony Coelho stated, “Although we were disappointed when Dr. Washington resigned as the PCORI Board Chair, I am pleased by today’s decision by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Dr. Norquist has consistently provided thoughtful insights during PCORI’s Board proceedings, including a continued emphasis on engaging patients and their caregivers in PCORI’s work. He embraces the vision and opportunity of PCORI as an Institute doing research differently so that it is guided by, and responsive to, the needs of patients and their caregivers.” Click here to view the press release.
5. PCORI Blog: Have a Health Question? We May Be Able to Fund a Study that Will Find the Answer
In a post on The PCORI Blog, Susan Hildebrandt, PCORI’s Director of Stakeholder Engagement says, “What sort of questions do we look for when we review research proposals? In short, we're interested in those that people ask when deciding between two or more healthcare choices. Because studies that address these kinds of questions compare different options, they are called comparative effectiveness research (CER). Most importantly, PCORI wants studies that will produce information that allows patients to weigh benefits and risks of treatments according to their individual preferences.” Click here to view the blog post.
6. PIPC Attends PCORI Patient Engagement Panel
Sara van Geertruyden, PIPC's Executive Director, attended the PCORI Patient Engagement Advisory Panel occurring September 20-21, 2013. The Advisory Panel on Patient Engagement helps PCORI assure the highest patient engagement standards and a culture of patient-centeredness in all aspects of their work. The panel discussed PCORI's process for reviewing applications for patient engagement, plans for a PCORI Ambassador Program, and the upcoming Pipeline to Proposals program. Click here to view the meeting agenda,here to view the slides from day one, and here to view the slides for day two.
7. Video: Should Doctors Weigh Costs When Making Decisions?
On a Wall Street Journal panel on the cost of health care in America, University of Pennsylvania's Zeke Emanuel says that doctors should consider price when considering treatment options, where the outcomes are the same. Steward Health Care System's Ralph De La Torre argues that's unethical. Click here to view the video.
8. PCORI Blog: On Contracts: Improving Our Application Review Process
In an article posted on The PCORI Blog, members of PCORI’s contract management and evaluation team discuss the Institute’s application review process. “When patients, scientists, and other stakeholders who have served as reviewers made it clear in their feedback to us that we could improve in some areas, we took that input seriously...Although more than 95 percent of reviewers from our past two reviewing cycles indicated they would review for us again, they also told us that we needed to make our process easier for them, while ensuring the rigor of the reviews and continuing to value reviewers' diverse perspectives. We'd like to share with you some of the changes we're implementing in response.” Click here to view the blog post.
9. MedPage Today: Payers Slow to Use Comparative Research Data
In an article published on MedPage Today, David Pittman writes, “Health plans and pharmacy benefit managers are struggling to understand comparative effectiveness and the evidence that comes with it, Helen Sherman, PharmD, vice president of the consulting firm Solid Benefit Guidance in River Vale, N.J., said Tuesday. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, created by the Affordable Care Act, focuses entirely on funding comparative effectiveness research. But despite the growth in the field, Sherman said it hasn't yet translated to changes in the way payers reimburse for various treatment options.” Click here to view the article.
10. Pink Sheet: Antibiotics Go Head-To-Head In PCORI-Funded Observational Study
Gregory Twachtman of The Pink Sheet reports, “In the latest funding cycle for clinical comparative effectiveness research approved by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, narrow-spectrum antibiotics used to treat respiratory tract infections in children will square off against broad-spectrum antibiotics in an observational study, though no specific drugs are identified as being targeted as part of the study.” Click here to view the article (paid subscription required).
This week, The Partnership to Improve Patient Care (PIPC) outlined its recommended best practices for the communication of comparative effectiveness research (CER) findings. The best practices help chart a path for communicating and implementing CER results in ways that are patient centered and improve care quality. PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho stated, “I am pleased to see that the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute is developing an action plan for disseminating CER research findings, and urge the Institute to work closely with patients and their providers so that the information is useful at the point of care. As a broad-based coalition of patients, providers and other stakeholders, PIPC is pleased to provide to PCORI with constructive guidance in this process. We look forward to continued collaboration.” Click here to view the PIPC press release, and here to view the best practices paper.
2. PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho Speaks at the 2013 CBC Health Braintrust Event
Today, at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Fall 2013 Health Braintrust event, PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho and Dr. Freda C. Lewis-Hall, Chief Medical Officer of Pfizer Inc., talked about the health disparity elimination priorities and recommendations that have been set by the PCORI. Chairman Coelho stated to the CBC Health Braintrust, "Changing the culture of research is not an easy task. Traditionally, research topics are usually driven by researchers, and the researchers do not always adequately engage patients and providers. Therefore research findings, although perhaps interesting, aren’t always particularly useful at the point of care to patients and clinicians. Especially for people in subgroups that tend to receive disparate care...PCORI was created to change that dynamic, to be different, to engage the patient each step of the way – from developing the research agenda to establishing a study design to disseminating findings." The agenda for the CBC Health Braintrust is available here.
3. Chairman Coelho Urges Stakeholders to Attend PCORI Board Meeting on September 23
In an e-mail to stakeholders this week, PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho urged individuals join the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) at its next Board of Governors meeting in Washington, DC on September 23, 2013 at the Westin Hotel in Georgetown (corner of 24th and M NW) from 8:00am-5:00pm. Chairman Coelho said, “My recent opinion in Roll Call describes the tough road ahead for PCORI to overcome a cultural, institutionalized bias that relies on researchers to drive the research agenda in health care. In order for PCORI to meet its mandate, it must truly engage patients and providers at each step of the process – from developing the research agenda, to establishing a study design, and finally to disseminating findings.” PCORI's Board Meeting agenda includes discussions on dissemination of research findings at 10:45am, and its plans for "engagement awards" at 11:30am. In addition, the agenda includes an opportunity for public comment at 2:15pm, providing individuals an opportunity to raise issues of importance to them. Click here to view the meeting agenda for this public board meeting.
4. PIPC Congratulates New PCORI Board Chairman, Dr. Grayson Norquist
On Thursday, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) announced the appointment of Grayson Norquist, MD, MSPH, as chair of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Board of Governors, and the reappointment of Steven Lipstein, MHA, as vice chair. In a press release, PCORI Executive Director Joe Selby said, “We are thrilled with the selection of Dr. Norquist as the next chair of the PCORI Board of Governors. Gray has dedicated his career to researching and improving healthcare for society’s most vulnerable populations.” Click here to view the press release.
The Partnership to Improve Patient Care (PIPC) welcomes the selection of Dr. Grayson Norquist as the new Chairman of the PCORI Board of Governors. In a press release, PIPC’s Chairman Tony Coelho stated, “Although we were disappointed when Dr. Washington resigned as the PCORI Board Chair, I am pleased by today’s decision by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Dr. Norquist has consistently provided thoughtful insights during PCORI’s Board proceedings, including a continued emphasis on engaging patients and their caregivers in PCORI’s work. He embraces the vision and opportunity of PCORI as an Institute doing research differently so that it is guided by, and responsive to, the needs of patients and their caregivers.” Click here to view the press release.
5. PCORI Blog: Have a Health Question? We May Be Able to Fund a Study that Will Find the Answer
In a post on The PCORI Blog, Susan Hildebrandt, PCORI’s Director of Stakeholder Engagement says, “What sort of questions do we look for when we review research proposals? In short, we're interested in those that people ask when deciding between two or more healthcare choices. Because studies that address these kinds of questions compare different options, they are called comparative effectiveness research (CER). Most importantly, PCORI wants studies that will produce information that allows patients to weigh benefits and risks of treatments according to their individual preferences.” Click here to view the blog post.
6. PIPC Attends PCORI Patient Engagement Panel
Sara van Geertruyden, PIPC's Executive Director, attended the PCORI Patient Engagement Advisory Panel occurring September 20-21, 2013. The Advisory Panel on Patient Engagement helps PCORI assure the highest patient engagement standards and a culture of patient-centeredness in all aspects of their work. The panel discussed PCORI's process for reviewing applications for patient engagement, plans for a PCORI Ambassador Program, and the upcoming Pipeline to Proposals program. Click here to view the meeting agenda,here to view the slides from day one, and here to view the slides for day two.
7. Video: Should Doctors Weigh Costs When Making Decisions?
On a Wall Street Journal panel on the cost of health care in America, University of Pennsylvania's Zeke Emanuel says that doctors should consider price when considering treatment options, where the outcomes are the same. Steward Health Care System's Ralph De La Torre argues that's unethical. Click here to view the video.
8. PCORI Blog: On Contracts: Improving Our Application Review Process
In an article posted on The PCORI Blog, members of PCORI’s contract management and evaluation team discuss the Institute’s application review process. “When patients, scientists, and other stakeholders who have served as reviewers made it clear in their feedback to us that we could improve in some areas, we took that input seriously...Although more than 95 percent of reviewers from our past two reviewing cycles indicated they would review for us again, they also told us that we needed to make our process easier for them, while ensuring the rigor of the reviews and continuing to value reviewers' diverse perspectives. We'd like to share with you some of the changes we're implementing in response.” Click here to view the blog post.
9. MedPage Today: Payers Slow to Use Comparative Research Data
In an article published on MedPage Today, David Pittman writes, “Health plans and pharmacy benefit managers are struggling to understand comparative effectiveness and the evidence that comes with it, Helen Sherman, PharmD, vice president of the consulting firm Solid Benefit Guidance in River Vale, N.J., said Tuesday. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, created by the Affordable Care Act, focuses entirely on funding comparative effectiveness research. But despite the growth in the field, Sherman said it hasn't yet translated to changes in the way payers reimburse for various treatment options.” Click here to view the article.
10. Pink Sheet: Antibiotics Go Head-To-Head In PCORI-Funded Observational Study
Gregory Twachtman of The Pink Sheet reports, “In the latest funding cycle for clinical comparative effectiveness research approved by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, narrow-spectrum antibiotics used to treat respiratory tract infections in children will square off against broad-spectrum antibiotics in an observational study, though no specific drugs are identified as being targeted as part of the study.” Click here to view the article (paid subscription required).
