U.S. Health and Human Services officials have announced $473 million in funding for patient-centered outcomes research.
Projects to be funded will explore the effectiveness of drugs, medical devices, tests, surgeries or ways to deliver healthcare in real world settings, advanced use of findings by diverse populations, development of effective patient registries and training and career development for the next generation of researchers.
The money comes from $1.1 billion in patient-centered outcomes research grants authorized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. That included $300 million for the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, $400 million to be allocated at the discretion of HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and $400 million was to go to the National Institutes of Health.
The funding announced covers all of AHRQ's allocation and $173 million administered for the HHS Secretary by AHRQ.
"Patient-centered outcomes research will give patients the information they need to talk with their doctors about their options for medical treatment," said AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. "The findings of this research also will strengthen our health care system by ensuring that the care that is delivered is based on the best possible evidence and informed decisions."
The grants and contracts are divided into several categories. The awards funded by the Office of the Secretary are: Data Infrastructure; Dissemination, Translation and Implementation; Research; and Inventory and Evaluation.
Awards funded by the AHRQ are: Horizon Scanning; Evidence Synthesis; Evidence Gap Identification; Translation and Dissemination; Evidence Generation; Training and Career Development; and the Community Forum.
The awards and their recipients are listed here.