PCORI Methodology Committee Issues Request for Information

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Methodology Committee seeks information from experts in the scientific community on developing and improving the science and methods of comparative clinical effectiveness research.

PCORI is an independent, non-profit organization that aims to give patients and those who care for them more information to improve their health and health care choices. The Methodology Committee was established to help PCORI set standards for the comparative effectiveness research it will fund.

The PCORI Methodology Committee developed draft translation framework components and now seeks feedback on that framework. Specifically, PCORI is requesting suggestions for the improvement of the draft framework components, thoughts on alternate components or frameworks, discussion of how these components apply to different research domains, and comments on the limitations of the proposed framework.

The most helpful responses will provide specific examples or case studies based on patient-centered research questions. Case studies should briefly describe the research question of interest and demonstrate application of the translation framework. The decisions about the design and methods used in patient-centered outcomes research require consideration of the tradeoffs in applying each translation framework component. Authors of case studies should discuss these decisions/tradeoffs from the perspective of at least one potential decision-maker or stakeholder.

Responses to this Request for Information (RFI) will be considered for inclusion in a May 2012 report, which will be delivered to the PCORI Board of Governors and subject to a formal public comment period before final approval. Authors of case studies chosen for inclusion in the published report, or of suggestions that result in qualitative modification of the framework, will be publically acknowledged.

All responses should be submitted electronically no later than February 17, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Any questions should be emailed to RMWG@pcori.org.