In This Week’s Issue:
1. PIPC Chairman Responds to MedPAC Consideration of Utilizing CER Results in Medicare Payment Policy, click here to view the statement.
2. PCORI Selects Mathematica to Develop Dissemination and Implementation Action Plan, click here for additional information.
3. PCORI Posts:
• Joe Selby: Cardiovascular Disease is a Major Focus of PCORI's Comparative Research, click here to view the blog post.
• Video: PCORI's Role in Creating a Research Agenda to Reduce Disparities, click here to view the video.
• PCORI Releases Videos on Advisory Panels; Slated to Consider Nominees for New Panels on March 25, see details below.
• PCORI Blog: Making Small Numbers Add Up: The Challenge of Studying Rare Diseases, click here to view the blog post.
4. Chattanooga Times Free Press: Cleaveland: Dealing with the ‘death panel’ nonsense, click here to view the article.
5. How to Get Your Research Funded by PCORI, click here to view the article.
6. Senator Introduces Bill to Repeal PCORI, “End Health Care Rationing”, click here to view the press release.
7. Blog: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research and Effectiveness of Care, click here to view the blog post.
1. PIPC Chairman Responds to MedPAC Consideration of Utilizing CER Results in Medicare Payment Policy, click here to view the statement.
2. PCORI Selects Mathematica to Develop Dissemination and Implementation Action Plan, click here for additional information.
3. PCORI Posts:
• Joe Selby: Cardiovascular Disease is a Major Focus of PCORI's Comparative Research, click here to view the blog post.
• Video: PCORI's Role in Creating a Research Agenda to Reduce Disparities, click here to view the video.
• PCORI Releases Videos on Advisory Panels; Slated to Consider Nominees for New Panels on March 25, see details below.
• PCORI Blog: Making Small Numbers Add Up: The Challenge of Studying Rare Diseases, click here to view the blog post.
4. Chattanooga Times Free Press: Cleaveland: Dealing with the ‘death panel’ nonsense, click here to view the article.
5. How to Get Your Research Funded by PCORI, click here to view the article.
6. Senator Introduces Bill to Repeal PCORI, “End Health Care Rationing”, click here to view the press release.
7. Blog: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research and Effectiveness of Care, click here to view the blog post.
1. PIPC Chairman Responds to MedPAC Consideration of Utilizing CER Results in Medicare Payment Policy
PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho issued a statement in response to discussion on use of CER in Medicare payment policy at last week’s meeting of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). “Clinical evidence, and comparative effectiveness research (CER) in particular, can play a valuable role in empowering patients to make good decisions about the range of treatment options based on their unique circumstances and characteristics,” PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho said. “PIPC is concerned that expanded CMS authority to use CER in Medicare would result in one-size-fits-all policies that create patient access barriers. The discussion today highlights the importance of advancing principles of patient-centeredness in Medicare payment policy.” Click here to view the statement.
2. PCORI Selects Mathematica to Develop Dissemination and Implementation Action Plan
The Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute has selected Mathematica Policy Research to develop an action plan for the dissemination and implementation (“D&I”) of comparative effectiveness research (CER) findings, as well as the process for evaluating those efforts. The award of $1,278,000 includes a period of performance from February 25, 2014 through the end of December 2014. PCORI notes that the contract is being finalized and is subject to changes because of a business review and contract negotiations with PCORI staff – the contract amount may vary. Click here for additional information.
3. PCORI Posts
PCORI’s Joe Selby: Cardiovascular Disease is a Major Focus of PCORI's Comparative Research
PCORI Executive Director Joe Selby recently commented on a blog for American College of Cardiology, “The American College of Cardiology has provided valuable input that continues to inform PCORI's work. Commenting on our National Priorities for Research and Research Agenda, ACC said: ‘PCORI should strongly consider research designs that incorporate the use of research on real patients using clinical registry data. Registry data are incredibly powerful because they are not subject to the limitations of clinical trials, and instead capture real-time medical patient information and practice trends, providing greater opportunity for deeper assessments of the patient experience.’” Click here to view the blog post.
Video: PCORI's Role in Creating a Research Agenda to Reduce Disparities
Romana Hasnain, Program Director of Health Disparities Research at PCORI, recently held a seminar entitled PCORI's Role in Creating a Research Agenda to Reduce Disparities and Improve Health Outcomes as a part of the MacLean Center Seminar Series. Click here to view the video.
PCORI Releases Videos on Advisory Panels; Slated to Consider Nominees for New Panels on March 25
PCORI recently released the following five videos on the Institute’s Advisory Panels:
• Anne C. Beal, MD, MPH, PCORI's Deputy Executive Director and Chief Officer for Engagement, describes how the Patient Engagement Advisory Panel is helping PCORI be patient-centered in all of our work.” Click here to view the video.
• Joe V. Selby, MD, MPH, PCORI's Executive Director, describes why PCORI's Advisory Panels are an essential part of helping PCORI do research differently. Click here to view the video.
• Grant Jones is the founder and Executive Director of the Center for African American Health. He serves on PCORI's Advisory Panel on Addressing Disparities, representing patients, caregivers, and patient advocates.” Click here to view the video.
• John A. Galdo, PharmD, BCPS, is a clinical pharmacy educator at Barney's Pharmacy in Augusta, Ga. [He] serves on PCORI's Advisory Panel on Improving Healthcare Systems, representing clinicians.” Click here to view the video.
• Bettye Green, RN, is a Community Outreach Nurse and Associate Director of Advocacy for the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center. She serves on PCORI's Advisory Panel on Assessment of Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options, representing patients, caregivers, and patient advocates. Click here to view the video.
The PCORI Board of Governors will also consider nominees for our two new Advisory Panels, on Rare Disease and Clinical Trials, when it meets on March 25 via webinar and teleconference. According to a release from PCORI, “We received an overwhelming number of applications from exceptional candidates to serve on both panels, so we've postponed the meeting from the originally scheduled date of March 11 to ensure that we're fully prepared to present slates of proposed members to the Board.” Click here to register for the webinar.
PCORI Blog: Making Small Numbers Add Up: The Challenge of Studying Rare Diseases
Sarita Wahba, Program Officer in PCORI’s CER Methods and Infrastructure Program, and Rachael Fleurence, Program Director of the CER Methods and Infrastructure Program, recently commented on The PCORI Blog, “As of January 2014, PCORI had funded eight research projects on rare diseases...Rare diseases are also well represented in PCORnet...PCORI recently approved awards to 29 health-data networks. Among the 18 Patient-Powered Research Networks (PPRNs), which are operated and governed by groups of patients and their partners, about half focus on one or more rare diseases.” Click here to view the blog post.
4. Chattanooga Times Free Press: Cleaveland: Dealing with the ‘death panel’ nonsense
Chattanooga’s Clif Cleaveland states with regard to the work of PCORI, "In response, professional societies have recently developed lists of five low-value health services based on rigorous analysis of data from medical specialists. The lists represent a beginning for identifying procedures of little value...Guidelines allow a patient and a physician to have up-to-date information regarding safety, reliability and cost of a test or treatment. Often, this is information that an individual clinic or physician simply do not have time or resources to gather. Guidelines inform rather than dictate the decision that they make in consultation with their patients.” Click here to view the article.
5. How to Get Your Research Funded by PCORI
In a recent article for an osteopathic specialists blog, The DO, Carolyn Schierhorn reports, “Not engaging patients in the research design is a key reason many applications are rejected, [PCORI Executive Director Joe Selby, MD, MPH] stresses. ‘In the application, we want to see evidence that the investigators have opened up a relationship with patients as early as possible in the development of the research question and that they are going to be working with them throughout the study,’ he says.” Click here to view the article.
6. Senator Introduces Bill to Repeal PCORI, “End Health Care Rationing”
According to a recent press release from Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), “Senator Roberts introduced the Four Rationers Repeal Act of 2014. It repeals the following rationing bodies.. Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute: Conducts comparative effectiveness research, also known as CER, which should be used to inform decisions between doctors and their patients but under Obamacare will limit treatment options for individuals.” Click here to view the press release.
7. Blog: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research and Effectiveness of Care
At the recent Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions (ACEhp) annual conference, Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall, MD, FAPA, chief medical officer of Pfizer and member of the PCORI board of governors, shared what she termed the “three dimensions of deep customer insight.” Adele Allison recently reported on the conference for Greenway Health, commenting, “Providing patient-centered care means going beyond traditional delivery models to implement fundamental changes designed to empower providers, patients and caregivers as active, informed participants in managing healthcare. PCORI will continue to take a leadership role in exploring the data available for patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research.” Click here to view the blog post.
PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho issued a statement in response to discussion on use of CER in Medicare payment policy at last week’s meeting of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). “Clinical evidence, and comparative effectiveness research (CER) in particular, can play a valuable role in empowering patients to make good decisions about the range of treatment options based on their unique circumstances and characteristics,” PIPC Chairman Tony Coelho said. “PIPC is concerned that expanded CMS authority to use CER in Medicare would result in one-size-fits-all policies that create patient access barriers. The discussion today highlights the importance of advancing principles of patient-centeredness in Medicare payment policy.” Click here to view the statement.
2. PCORI Selects Mathematica to Develop Dissemination and Implementation Action Plan
The Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute has selected Mathematica Policy Research to develop an action plan for the dissemination and implementation (“D&I”) of comparative effectiveness research (CER) findings, as well as the process for evaluating those efforts. The award of $1,278,000 includes a period of performance from February 25, 2014 through the end of December 2014. PCORI notes that the contract is being finalized and is subject to changes because of a business review and contract negotiations with PCORI staff – the contract amount may vary. Click here for additional information.
3. PCORI Posts
PCORI’s Joe Selby: Cardiovascular Disease is a Major Focus of PCORI's Comparative Research
PCORI Executive Director Joe Selby recently commented on a blog for American College of Cardiology, “The American College of Cardiology has provided valuable input that continues to inform PCORI's work. Commenting on our National Priorities for Research and Research Agenda, ACC said: ‘PCORI should strongly consider research designs that incorporate the use of research on real patients using clinical registry data. Registry data are incredibly powerful because they are not subject to the limitations of clinical trials, and instead capture real-time medical patient information and practice trends, providing greater opportunity for deeper assessments of the patient experience.’” Click here to view the blog post.
Video: PCORI's Role in Creating a Research Agenda to Reduce Disparities
Romana Hasnain, Program Director of Health Disparities Research at PCORI, recently held a seminar entitled PCORI's Role in Creating a Research Agenda to Reduce Disparities and Improve Health Outcomes as a part of the MacLean Center Seminar Series. Click here to view the video.
PCORI Releases Videos on Advisory Panels; Slated to Consider Nominees for New Panels on March 25
PCORI recently released the following five videos on the Institute’s Advisory Panels:
• Anne C. Beal, MD, MPH, PCORI's Deputy Executive Director and Chief Officer for Engagement, describes how the Patient Engagement Advisory Panel is helping PCORI be patient-centered in all of our work.” Click here to view the video.
• Joe V. Selby, MD, MPH, PCORI's Executive Director, describes why PCORI's Advisory Panels are an essential part of helping PCORI do research differently. Click here to view the video.
• Grant Jones is the founder and Executive Director of the Center for African American Health. He serves on PCORI's Advisory Panel on Addressing Disparities, representing patients, caregivers, and patient advocates.” Click here to view the video.
• John A. Galdo, PharmD, BCPS, is a clinical pharmacy educator at Barney's Pharmacy in Augusta, Ga. [He] serves on PCORI's Advisory Panel on Improving Healthcare Systems, representing clinicians.” Click here to view the video.
• Bettye Green, RN, is a Community Outreach Nurse and Associate Director of Advocacy for the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center. She serves on PCORI's Advisory Panel on Assessment of Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options, representing patients, caregivers, and patient advocates. Click here to view the video.
The PCORI Board of Governors will also consider nominees for our two new Advisory Panels, on Rare Disease and Clinical Trials, when it meets on March 25 via webinar and teleconference. According to a release from PCORI, “We received an overwhelming number of applications from exceptional candidates to serve on both panels, so we've postponed the meeting from the originally scheduled date of March 11 to ensure that we're fully prepared to present slates of proposed members to the Board.” Click here to register for the webinar.
PCORI Blog: Making Small Numbers Add Up: The Challenge of Studying Rare Diseases
Sarita Wahba, Program Officer in PCORI’s CER Methods and Infrastructure Program, and Rachael Fleurence, Program Director of the CER Methods and Infrastructure Program, recently commented on The PCORI Blog, “As of January 2014, PCORI had funded eight research projects on rare diseases...Rare diseases are also well represented in PCORnet...PCORI recently approved awards to 29 health-data networks. Among the 18 Patient-Powered Research Networks (PPRNs), which are operated and governed by groups of patients and their partners, about half focus on one or more rare diseases.” Click here to view the blog post.
4. Chattanooga Times Free Press: Cleaveland: Dealing with the ‘death panel’ nonsense
Chattanooga’s Clif Cleaveland states with regard to the work of PCORI, "In response, professional societies have recently developed lists of five low-value health services based on rigorous analysis of data from medical specialists. The lists represent a beginning for identifying procedures of little value...Guidelines allow a patient and a physician to have up-to-date information regarding safety, reliability and cost of a test or treatment. Often, this is information that an individual clinic or physician simply do not have time or resources to gather. Guidelines inform rather than dictate the decision that they make in consultation with their patients.” Click here to view the article.
5. How to Get Your Research Funded by PCORI
In a recent article for an osteopathic specialists blog, The DO, Carolyn Schierhorn reports, “Not engaging patients in the research design is a key reason many applications are rejected, [PCORI Executive Director Joe Selby, MD, MPH] stresses. ‘In the application, we want to see evidence that the investigators have opened up a relationship with patients as early as possible in the development of the research question and that they are going to be working with them throughout the study,’ he says.” Click here to view the article.
6. Senator Introduces Bill to Repeal PCORI, “End Health Care Rationing”
According to a recent press release from Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), “Senator Roberts introduced the Four Rationers Repeal Act of 2014. It repeals the following rationing bodies.. Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute: Conducts comparative effectiveness research, also known as CER, which should be used to inform decisions between doctors and their patients but under Obamacare will limit treatment options for individuals.” Click here to view the press release.
7. Blog: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research and Effectiveness of Care
At the recent Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions (ACEhp) annual conference, Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall, MD, FAPA, chief medical officer of Pfizer and member of the PCORI board of governors, shared what she termed the “three dimensions of deep customer insight.” Adele Allison recently reported on the conference for Greenway Health, commenting, “Providing patient-centered care means going beyond traditional delivery models to implement fundamental changes designed to empower providers, patients and caregivers as active, informed participants in managing healthcare. PCORI will continue to take a leadership role in exploring the data available for patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research.” Click here to view the blog post.
