PCORI to Fund Research on Chronic Care Management Using Telehealth

To enhance patient care and clinical effectiveness, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Board of Governors (PCORI) has approved $113 million in new research funding, of which $50 million has been earmarked for studies focused on chronic care management using telehealth.

PCORI is a nonprofit organization that funds research to enhance patient care. Authorized by Congress in 2010, the organization uses stakeholder input to further its research.

On Sept. 7, the organization will open applications for the funding. PCORI is seeking research projects that compare different approaches to implementing telehealth within primary care to support the management of chronic conditions, especially among vulnerable populations.

PCORI states that the new research that is funded will help healthcare providers better understand how to leverage the rapid uptake in the use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic to improve care for vulnerable individuals with complex chronic needs.

Projects applying for funding should focus on individuals with multiple chronic conditions and be designed to offer conclusions regarding “one or more vulnerable populations of interest,” according to PCORI.

Over 27 percent of people living in the US battle multiple chronic conditions, the press release states. This group primarily consists of Black, Hispanic, American Indian, and Alaska Native people. Many people with intellectual disabilities and who live in rural areas also commonly struggle with more than one chronic condition.

PCORI also released its strategic plan, which aims to use clinical effectiveness research (CER) to address challenges, focusing on five National Priorities for Health and using a Research Agenda.

“PCORI’s Strategic Plan is a holistic approach to generating and promoting CER evidence designed to enable a more patient-centered system of health. We look forward to building new partnerships, strengthening existing relationships and developing enhanced engagement approaches to achieve our mission,” said PCORI Executive Director Nakela L. Cook, MD, in the press release.

PCORI further dedicated $63 million to studies that examine ways to reduce maternal health disparities, particularly among those most highly affected, including Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native populations, and people with disabilities, lower incomes, and rural residences.

PCORI has long been focused on health equity and the elimination of disparities.

In July 2021, PCORI announced its future priorities were improving health equity and expanding patient education. Its strategies for achieving these priorities included increasing the evidence for existing and emerging health solutions and enhancing the infrastructure needed for patient-centered outcomes research.

Later that year in December, the organization released a research agenda that focused on stakeholder engagement, social determinants of health, and health promotion.

Further, the organization recently provided over $71 million in funding to studies on treatments for conditions like mental health and autism, including those provided virtually.