Developing PCORI applications for patient-centered SUD treatment research: A CTN technical assistance workshop.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is an independent, nonprofit organization created by the Affordable Care Act in March 2010 that funds comparative effective research to answer important real life questions. In 2014, the PCORI Advisory Panel on Assessment of Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options prioritized 14 new research topics, including Treatment Options for Substance Abuse.

The National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) sponsored this workshop for all NIDA investigators interested in learning how to apply for PCORI funding. It was also broadcast via webinar to remote participants. The workshop was co-chaired by Betty Tai, Director, CCTN and Redonna Chandler, Acting Director, DESPR. The goal of the workshop was to provide technical assistance to NIDA grantees regarding PCORI funding opportunities, given that PCORI identified treatment options for opioid substance abuse as a high-priority research topic, and that their funding process is different from the NIH process. The agenda included a presentation from PCORI staff summarizing PCORI’s objectives, priorities, available funding, and application process. NIDA researchers discussed the state of the science regarding opioid substance abuse and presented experiences with the PCORI funding/review process. Presenters included: Dr. Joe Selby and Dr. David Hickam, PCORI, Dr. Walter Ling, UCLA, Dr. Adam Brooks, TRI, Dr. Cynthia Campbell, Kaiser Permanente, and Dr. Jay Ford, Univ. of Wisconsin.

View the workshop agenda and speaker bios. Slides from the presentations are available below. (Additional PCORI-related resources are available in the sidebar to the right.)

Overview of PCORI — David Hickam, MD, MPH; Bryan Luce, PhD, MS, MBA; Joe V. Selby, MD, MPH.

Opportunities to Test Effective Opiate Treatments — Walter Ling, MD

Engaging Patients and Clinicians to Improve Patient-Centered Treatment Outcome: Stakeholders’ Substance Use Research and Treatment Information Exchange — Walter Ling, MD

Specialized Community Disease Management to Reduce Substance Use and Hospital Readmissions and Testing the Effectiveness of a Graphic Novel Health Education Curriculum for Patients with Addiction — Adam Brooks, PhD

Prescription Opioid Management in Chronic Pain Patients: A Patient-Centered Activation Intervention — Cynthia Campbell, PhD, MPH

Review Experience — Jay Ford, PhD