How do PCORI programs promote stakeholder engagement?

Challenge

PCORI’s Eugene Washington Engagement Award Program (EAP) funds engagement projects that aim to bring patient and stakeholder perspectives into the development, research, and dissemination of patient-centered comparative effectiveness research. To further institutional knowledge, provide a roadmap to monitor progress and measure success, and develop actionable approaches to reinforce organizational change and engage stakeholders in patient-centered outcomes research, PCORI is developing a learning agenda and learning plan for the EAP.

Solution

Westat is assisting PCORI in developing this learning agenda and learning plan by assessing the current EAP portfolio, developing a learning agenda and learning plan in collaboration with PCORI leadership, and sharing findings with PCORI staff and stakeholders. This work will:

• Assist with internal program planning
• Support the integration of tools, resources, and lessons learned from EAP awardees with other PCORI programs and projects
• Plan future learning and evaluation activities
• Communicate the accomplishments of the program and awarded projects

This project will use qualitative and quantitative data collection efforts to describe the current portfolio and evaluate outcomes of EAP awards to date, including a document review, focus groups, interviews and a survey.

Results

The Learning and Engagement Award Portfolio analysis and the development of the learning plan and learning agenda will inform PCORI’s next steps on how to create specific funding opportunities that address gaps in the current EAP portfolio and make suggestions as to how PCORI can better support their awardees and the communities they engage. This work will build capacity in the larger community of researchers who conduct patient-centered comparative effectiveness research and the communities they engage.

This project was begun by Insight Policy Research, and work is continuing by Westat.