CMTP received two awards as part of recent PCORI funding of the first National Patient-Centered Research Network and of Accelerating Patient Centered Outcomes Research and Methodological Research.

The Center for Medical Technology Policy (CMTP) is proud to announce that it has received two awards as part of the recent decisions made by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Board of Governors to fund the first National Patient-Centered Research Network and the priority area of Accelerating Patient Centered Outcomes Research and Methodological Research. CMTP will be part of the $9 million contract awarded to a Harvard Group Pilgrim Health Care Institute-led consortium to improve the nation’s capacity to conduct comparative effectiveness research (CER) as well as a $1 million grant to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center for “A Structured Approach to Prioritizing Cancer Research Using Stakeholders and Value of Information.”

CMTP will head the Patient and Consumer Engagement in Research Subcommittee as part of a multi-institution team led by principal investigator Richard Platt of the Harvard Group Pilgrim Health Care Institute as it manages the Coordinating Center for the new National Patient Centered Clinical Research Network. The Coordinating Center will oversee a nationwide data network focused on improving the efficiency of CER and learning from the healthcare experiences of millions of Americans from across the country.

The second study is a follow-on collaboration for CMTP with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), SWOG, and the University of Washington, building on recent experience of engaging stakeholders in cancer comparative effectiveness research (CANCERGEN). The study examines the question of whether a structured process involving diverse stakeholder input and Value of Information analysis (VOI) will improve the process and outcomes of research prioritization compared to traditional approaches. Patricia Deverka, Senior Research Director at CMTP will be responsible for overseeing CMTP’s role in stakeholder recruitment and training, facilitating discussions among stakeholders and SWOG researchers, and leading the evaluation of the VOI process. The project, led by principal investigator Scott Ramsey (FHCRC), will provide cancer research groups and funders with guidance that maximizes the relevance and impact of their studies. Additionally, the group hopes to develop a universal stakeholder engagement and research prioritization model, to be employed in all areas of medical research.

“These two initiatives align directly with our mission to make health care more effective and affordable by improving the quality, relevance, and efficiency of clinical research,” said Sean Tunis, MD, CMTP’s President and CEO. “Our experience and expertise in stakeholder engagement, as well as our network of CER stakeholders, position us to provide tremendous value to both of these PCORI priorities.”