Northwell Health joins 41 select U.S. health systems to carry out multi-year PCORI-funded initiative

Translating medical research to clinical practice can take decades. In efforts to accelerate the implementation of practice-changing research results into clinical care to improve patients’ outcomes, Northwell Health's The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research has been chosen, among 41 other U.S. health systems nationwide, by The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to participate in its Health Systems Implementation Initiative (HSII).

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Drs. Karina Davidson (left) and Jill Kalman (right) are principal investigators for the new initiative. (Credit: Feinstein Institutes)

As a participant in PCORI’s HSII, Northwell, New York’s largest health system, and the Feinstein Institutes, Northwell’s home of research, will use their clinical excellence and research expertise to help develop and implement viable strategies that will ultimately improve patient care and outcomes. Karina Davidson, PhD, director of the Institute of Health System Science at the Feinstein Institutes, will act as principal investigator (PI) on all PCORI-funded HSII statistical and evaluation activities, and Jill Kalman, MD, Northwell’s executive vice president, chief medical officer, deputy physician-in-chief, will be the PI leading Northwell’s clinical implementation.

“Research is the first step to develop new ways to improve the care and overall outcomes of patients, however, there is often a major delay in seeing research get put into practice,” said Dr. Davidson, Donald and Barbara Zucker Endowed Professor in Health Outcomes. “We are honored to be a part of PCORI’s Health Systems Implementation Initiative and look forward to collaborating with the other health systems and research partners.”

Annually, Northwell Health treats more than 2 million patients across its 21 hospitals and nearly 900 outpatient facilities across New York. Northwell’s wide range of patient populations and access to different communities from all backgrounds and walks of life results in diverse research and data, which uniquely position the Feinstein Institutes to conduct practice-changing evidence-based studies.

“Given Northwell’s large clinical footprint and connection to communities across New York, we are in a unique position to help lead in these meaningful PCORI HSII funded activities and implementation of clinical strategies,” said Dr. Kalman. “We are grateful for this opportunity with PCORI and eager to roll up our sleeves and work to improve our patients' health outcomes.”

HSII-participating health systems have the opportunity to prepare proposals for capacity-building projects in the first stage of the initiative. Each participating health system can receive up to $500,000 for a project in this initial stage that supports preparation for future implementation strategies. Subsequent HSII funding opportunities will support practical and innovative projects that promote the uptake of specific evidence from PCORI-backed research studies within health systems, with funds ranging from $500,000 to $5 million per implementation project.

Northwell will form an HSII Steering Committee, consisting of operational leaders across the health system, to select the PCORI HSII funding areas that align with its organizational goals. Examples of projects that may be funded through this PCORI HSII initiative include preventing fatal blood clots in hospitalized patients, promoting antibiotic stewardship and delivering intensive lifestyle interventional programs to promote healthy weight loss.

HSII health systems collectively represent 800 hospitals serving 79 million unique patients – nearly a quarter of the U.S. population – across 41 states and the District of Columbia. In addition, through the HSII Learning Network, clinical and research leaders will earn from one another about best practices for implementation, evaluation metrics, and other topics integral to the successful implementation of care-informing strategies.

“The problem with the status quo is that 17 years is too long to wait for adopting effective new treatments into clinical acceptance,” said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes and Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research. “Drs. Davidson and Kalman’s new funding as part of the PCORI Health Systems Implementation Initiative is an important step towards streamlining the process and promoting timelier uptake of effective new care-enhancing strategies.”

HSII is part of a portfolio of PCORI-funded efforts that aim to improve the awareness, uptake and use of results from patient-centered comparative effectiveness research. PCORI is an independent, non-profit organization that funds comparative clinical effectiveness research, which provides patients, their caregivers and clinicians with the evidence to make better-informed health and health care decisions. PCORI is committed to seeking input from a broad range of stakeholders to guide its work.

About the Feinstein Institutes

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is the home of the research institutes of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Encompassing 50 research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its five institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health system science, and molecular medicine. We make breakthroughs in genetics, oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity, and are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine – a new field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visit http://feinstein.northwell.edu and follow us on LinkedIn.

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