Grants360°: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
- Sara Tabinsky
Key Takeaways
Holly Wilcox, Professor in the Department of Mental Health, Kathleen Page, Associate Professor in Infectious Disease as well as jointly appointed in Public Health, Nilanjan Chatterjee, Professor in the Department of Biostatistics, and Renan Castillo, Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Management, discuss their experiences securing funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and strategies to consider during your application process.
Overview:
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization focused on funding research that enhances healthcare decision-making by supporting comparative effectiveness research (CER).
Unlike federal agencies like NIH, PCORI is not government-funded directly but is financed through a federal surcharge on insurance companies as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
PCORI’s primary mission is to generate evidence to inform patient-centered outcomes in healthcare, meaning it emphasizes research that considers the preferences and needs of patients and other stakeholders.
PCORI is distinct in that it supports large-scale trials, as well as methodological research that is meant to be applied across various healthcare settings.
PCORI’s work is framed around producing actionable results that healthcare providers, patients, and policymakers can use to make informed decisions.
Application Process:
Applicants begin by submitting a competitive LOI, where only selected applicants are invited to submit a full proposal. The LOI itself often requires considerable detail about the proposed research, aligning with PCORI’s focus areas.
Once invited, applicants prepare an extensive full proposal, which can be up to 20 pages for large trials. The proposal must include a detailed methodology and clear plans for stakeholder engagement, aligning with PCORI’s emphasis on patient-centered outcomes.
Applicants must document how their research meets PCORI’s methodology standards. The application should also use accessible language, given that PCORI’s review panel includes patients and non-scientists alongside experts.
PCORI applications require a comprehensive engagement plan, demonstrating how patients and other stakeholders will be involved in the research process. This engagement is essential both at the application stage and throughout the project, as it is central to PCORI’s mission.
Additional planning documents, such as recruitment and data management plans, are also required in the full application, making the process more complex than typical federal grant applications.
PCORI projects are structured as contracts, with extensive administrative and reporting requirements, including engagement and recruitment plans. These requirements demand substantial administrative support and coordination.
Review Process
Applications typically undergo an initial online review followed by a full committee review to ensure that applications are thoroughly evaluated before final decisions are made.
PCORI’s review panels include patients and other stakeholders alongside scientific experts. These non-scientist reviewers, often individuals with lived experiences relevant to the study, have an equal voice in the evaluation process.
Reviewers closely assess whether applications meet PCORI’s methodology standards, a set of detailed requirements designed to ensure high-quality research. Applicants are required to document how their projects address each of these standards in an extensive methodology document.
Applicants are advised to use clear, non-technical language to make the proposal accessible to all reviewers, especially those with lived experiences who might lack formal research training.
Applicants receive a score and feedback on their proposal. The scoring process is transparent, with clear funding thresholds that indicate the likelihood of receiving funding.
Funded proposals typically receive detailed critiques that the applicants must address before receiving final approval.
Unlike NIH, PCORI does not engage in extensive discussions or negotiations with applicant’s post-review. The review process results in either a clear acceptance or rejection, with only a few cases where applicants might address reviewer concerns before final approval.
Career Impact/Big Picture:
Obtaining PCORI funding can enable researchers to conduct large-scale, high-impact studies that may directly influence clinical guidelines and healthcare practices.
Researchers who receive PCORI funding gain experience working with stakeholders, patients, and other non-scientists, broadening their skills in collaborative and community-focused research which can be valuable for researchers who wish to pursue more patient-centered or translational research in the future.
PCORI projects, expecially large clinical trials, add significant credibility to researchers' portfolios by demonstrating their ability to manage complex studies and deliver meaningful, patient-centered outcomes. This can enhance a researchers profile and open doors for future funding opportunities, particularly in health services or implementation science.
PCORI offers opportunities for senior investigators to lead groundbreaking studies and for less experienced researchers to participate through follow-up grants.