PCORI Creates "Director Of Stakeholder Engagement" With Aim Of Ensuring Industry Input
This article was originally published in The Pink Sheet Daily
Executive Summary
At its September meeting, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute board clarifies timelines for defining "patient-centered outcomes research" and for releasing its research agenda.
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Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Executive Director Joe Selby wants to be clear that while the institute's main focus will be on patient-centered activities, it will wants participation from all interested parties. To that end, the institute is looking to fill a newly-created position that will specifically target communications and outreach to health care payers, government, industry and other non-patient stakeholders. "We want a director of stakeholder engagement to engage providers, caregivers, employers, health plans, health systems, health services researchers and other researchers, government and industry," Selby said Sept. 19 during the PCORI Board of Governors meeting in Seattle. The concept of bringing in all interested parties to the table to help focus the patient-centered outcomes research activities is not a new concept per se, as PCORI Chairman Eugene Washington has expressed that active stakeholder participation is among the objectives of the institute (Also see "PCORI Is A “Transformative Opportunity” – Chairman Washington" - Pink Sheet, 23 May, 2011.). The creation of this position operationalizes that objective. "It sends a message that we indeed do aim to be engaged with patients and all of our stakeholders from the beginning in every aspect of research," Selby said of the creation of the new position. The director of stakeholder engagement will work with the director of patient engagement and the director of communications to ensure that all parties interested in having a voice at PCORI will be able to participate. Definition Of PCOR Expected By End Of 2011 Selby also announced that by the end of the year, PCORI expects to have a definition of "patient-centered outcomes research." He noted the institute has received more than 600 comments on the working definition that was posted earlier this year (Also see "Physicians Still Concerned PCORI Will Investigate Cost-Effectiveness" - Pink Sheet, 5 Sep, 2011.). PCORI intends to make all of those comments public in the coming weeks. The next step in the process will be for the institute's Methodology Committee to revise the working definition based on the comments. A contractor will do additional outreach on the revised definition before finalizing the wording. Research Agenda Expected Early 2012 Selby also offered an updated timeline on when the institute's national priorities and research agenda will be announced. "Between now and November in particular, we will be working hard to get - by a variety of means - stakeholder input on the national priorities and research agenda," Selby said. That will be followed in November and December with a first draft of priorities that will be released for public comment. In the first two months of 2012, Selby expects to have a finalized research agenda as well as the first calls for applications for PCORI research funding. - Gregory Twachtman ([email protected]) |