PCORI Grants $71.5M to 12 Research Studies

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Board of Governors has approved funding to support clinical effectiveness research studies on mental health, autism, and urinary incontinence (UI) treatments, including those delivered via virtual care.

Authorized by Congress in 2010, PCORI is a non-profit organization that funds research intending to optimize healthcare.

PCORI will provide $71.5 million in funding to 12 studies that promote clinical effectiveness research.

The studies are focused on limiting maternal morbidity and mortality and enhancing care for people with learning disabilities through various strategies, including by leveraging telehealth and remote patient monitoring.

For example, one study is examining the use of remote patient monitoring to improve maternal health, specifically postpartum hypertension and depression.

According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the United States still has the worst maternal mortality rates in the developed world, with an overall maternal mortality rate of 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. That figure is up from 20.1 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019.

“These latest funding awards reflect PCORI’s commitment to address our nation’s most critical health issues by funding research that aims to improve healthcare delivery and health outcomes in real-world settings,” said PCORI Executive Director Nakela L. Cook, MD, Min the press release.  

In addition, the board approved $9 million to support three projects that use PCORI-funded research, with the hope of encouraging uptake of its research in clinical care. These projects focus on UI, sickle cell disease, and mental health.

For example, PCORI funded a project that cares for women with UI virtually, using EHRs and a self-treatment program.

“Over the past decade, PCORI has transformed how research is conducted by requiring meaningful involvement of and partnership with patients and other stakeholders in the research it funds, from planning to conduct the study to ultimately disseminating study results,” said Cook, in the press release.  “With this funding announcement, PCORI will build the rigorous evidence available to improve engagement in research across the healthcare enterprise and advance our National Priorities for Health.”

PCORI regularly funds research projects that involve remote patient monitoring and telehealth.

In December 2021, PCORI approved a $45.9 million grant to further research on how telehealth can help pain relief, smoking cessation, and mental health.

Another research project that PCORI funded occurred in November 2020, when the University of Washington and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center received $10 million to research care outcomes for women and how telehealth compares to in-person treatment.