Author: Sonya Sutton

IMPACT to hold pre-conference workshop on embedded pragmatic clinical trials for people living with dementia and their caregivers at AAIC 2022

Posted on by Sonya Sutton

The IMPACT Collaboratory will hold a pre-conference workshop  at the 2022 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in San Diego, CA on July 29, 2022 to share key considerations in the design and conduct of ePCTs for PLWD. The goals of the workshop are to:

  • Train investigators in the design and conduct of ePCTs for people living with dementia and their care partners
  • Identify priorities for improving care for people living with dementia
  • Highlight the importance of engaging stakeholders
  • Provide guidance for investigators on the design and conduct of ePCTs for people living with dementia and their care partners in health care settings

The workshop, organized by IMPACT’s Administration Core Executive Director Jill Harrison, PhD, will be lead entirely by IMPACT members, including Vincent Mor, PhD, Partha Bhattacharyya, PhD, Marcel Salive, MD, MPH, Kenneth Hepburn, PhD, María Aranda, PhD, MSW, MPA, LCSW, Ellen McCreedy, PhD, MPH, David Reuben, MD, Deborah Barnes, PhD, MPH, and Joseph Gaugler, PhD.

Visit the AAIC website for additional information here and view the IMPACT pre-conference workshop agenda here.

Registration is required and separate from the AAIC registration.

Register today!

IMPACT Collaboratory Announces the 2022 Health Care Systems Scholars Program Awardees

Posted on by Sonya Sutton

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) Imbedded Pragmatic Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Collaboratory (U54AG063546) is pleased to announce the 2022 Health Care Systems (HCS) Scholars Program awardees.

HCS Scholars Program

This program offers investigators an opportunity to work directly with health care systems interested in improving the care provided to people living with dementia (PLWD) and their care partners. The goals of the HCS Scholars Program are to embed investigators in health care systems to:

  • Establish mutually beneficial partnerships to improve the care of PLWD and their care partners.
  • Train investigators about health care settings’ needs and how new programs are successfully introduced at all levels of the organization.
  • Engage HCS in learning more about what it means to conduct ePCTs and provide resources for understanding opportunities for improvement in dementia care or evaluation of related quality improvement projects.
  • Strengthen collaborations between investigators and HCS that may lead to pilot studies or demonstration projects.

Recipients of this year’s HCS Scholar awards are:

  • Katherine Abbott, PhD, MGS, Scripps Gerontology Center Miami University (Oxford, OH)

Partnering with Providers to Understand the Individualized Positive Psychosocial Intervention (IPPI) Outcomes of Interest for People Living with Dementia (PLWD)          

  • Zainab Osakwe, PhD, NP, RN, Adelphi University College of Nursing and Public Health

Prioritizing End-of-Life Communication to Reduce Disparities among People Living with Dementia (PLWD) in Home Healthcare (HHC)

IMPACT Collaboratory members participate in AcademyHealth Conference

Posted on by Sonya Sutton

The NIA IMPACT Collaboratory was part of a pre-conference workshop and several presentations shared during the 2022 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting held June 4-7, 2022 in Washington, DC.

IMPACT Multiple Principal Investigator Vince Mor, PhD spoke on a panel during the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory Rethinking Clinical Trials‘ “Essentials of Embedded Pragamtic Clinical Trials” Pre-Conference Workshop. Dr. Mor participated in the panel, ePCTs in Context: Panel Discussion with Collaboratory Demonstration Project PIs.

Dr. Mor also participated in two panels during the conference, including NASEM Recommendations to Improve Nursing Home Quality: A Discussion of the 2022 Report, which shared the main findings and recommendations from the 2020 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine expert panel to examine our nation’s approach to nursing home care. The report includes recommendations for improving quality of care in today’s nursing homes. Dr. Mor was among four panelists to discuss the report.

Dr. Mor also spoke at the closing plenary session of the annual meeting, Connecting Science, Management, and Policy for More Timely and Relevant HSR. The plenary examined how to better connect health services and policy research together with evidence-based management in health systems. Dr. Mor and others addressed whether we are responding accurately and quickly enough as a field to ongoing challenges in service delivery.

Dr. Mor and Ellen McCreedy, PhD, MPH, member of the executive committee for the Technical Data Core, both also contributed to eight poster sessions during the annual meeting.

IMPACT Collaboratory Requests Applications for Career Development Awards & Announces New Awardees

Posted on by Sonya Sutton

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) Imbedded Pragmatic Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Collaboratory (U54AG063546) is now accepting applications for the Career Development Award (CDA). These CDAs support the development of MD, PhD, or equivalent researchers who seek careers conducting embedded pragmatic clinical trials (ePCTs) for people living with AD/ADRD and their care partners.

The IMPACT Collaboratory will fund up to two 2-year CDAs, prioritizing applications that address dementia care for people of all backgrounds and promote health equity. Each award will provide up to $220,000 in direct costs over two years with an indirect cost rate capped at 8%. Awardees are required to devote a minimum of 75% effort toward the goals of the award.

Eligible applicants include MD, PhD, or equivalent researchers who seek careers conducting ePCTs for people living with AD/ADRD and their care partners. Applicants are typically within 7 years of their post-doctoral training program at the time of application. Exceptions will be made in this round of funding for investigators with more than 7 years who can demonstrate evidence of changing their career path to pursue research on ePCTs among PLWD. Such applicants must request prior approval.

Applications are due Thursday, September 15, 2022 by 5pm ET.  An informational webinar (registration closed) will be hosted on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at 2:00 PM ET to provide investigators with an overview of application details. Investigators will have the opportunity to ask questions.

A set of frequently asked questions (FAQ) regarding this award is available online at https://impactcollaboratory.org/CDA-grant-faq/. Additionally, please email IMPACTcollaboratory@hsl.harvard.edu with any questions.

Newest Career Development Awardees

Congratulations to the new IMPACT CDA Awardees!

These Awardees are supported by the IMPACT Cores and Teams to prepare them to develop and conduct ePCTs of non-pharmacological interventions within healthcare systems to improve care for people living with AD/ADRD and their care partners.

IMPACT Collaboratory Career Development Award Recipients

  • Natalie Douglas, PhD, CCC-SLP, Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Central Michigan University
    Communication Coaching for Nursing Assistants
  • Lisa Juckett, PhD, OTR/L, CHT, Ohio State University School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
    Upskilling Care Partners to Provide Nutritional Support for People Living with Dementia

Additional details on these recipients and their career development goals can be found on the IMPACT Collaboratory website at https://impactcollaboratory.org/career-development-awardees/

Mor to serve on panel addressing Critical Questions for Pragmatic Clinical Trialists with NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory

Posted on by Sonya Sutton

The NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory will hold a virtual 2 half-day workshop June 15-16, 2022, to explore questions critical to designing and implementing pragmatic clinical trials conducted within healthcare systems. NIA IMPACT Collaboratory multiple principal investigator Vince Mor will be among the panel members for the workshop.

This workshop is an opportunity to glean the most salient lessons learned from an experienced group of the pragmatic trial investigators who will share challenges encountered, solutions developed, and thoughts for the future.

The workshop, Critical Questions for Pragmatic Clinical Trialists: Insights From the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory’s First Decade, will take place from 1:00-5:00 p.m. ET each day, kicking off with a keynote presentation by Shannon N. Zenk, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, Director, National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, DHHS.   The event will include four moderated webinar discussions, wrapping up with a summary and concluding remarks each day.

All sessions are free and open to the public; registration is required and can be accessed at the following link: https://pct2022.eventbrite.com.

Download the workshop flyer or see the full schedule below.

Day 1: June 15, 2022, 1:00-5:00 p.m. ET

  • Welcome and Introductions
  • Keynote Presentation: Shannon N. Zenk, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN
  • Panel 1: Can We Squeeze More Value Out of Electronic Health Records?

Miguel Vazquez, Jerry Jarvik, Andrea Cheville, Greg Simon; Moderator: Keith Marsolo

  • Panel 2: Should We Be Considering a Different Study Design?

Doug Zatzick, Myles Wolf, Vince Mor, Susan Shortreed; Moderator: Patrick Heagerty

  • Summary and Concluding Remarks

Day 2: June 16, 2022, 1:00-5:00 p.m. ET

  • Welcome and Introductions
  • Panel 3: What Is the Most Effective Use of the 1-Year Planning Phase?

Gail D’Onofrio, Michael Ho, James Tulsky, Doug Zatzick; Moderator: Wendy Weber

  • Panel 4: How Do We Implement Interventions in Complex Health Care Systems

Gloria Coronado, Miguel Vazquez, Margaret Kuklinski, Ardith Doorenbos; Moderator: Steven George

  • Summary and Concluding Remarks

IMPACT offers new certificate program “Basic Principles of Conducting ePCTs in People Living with Dementia and Care Partners”

Posted on by Sonya Sutton

The NIA IMPACT Collaboratory has launched a new online learning platform to give learners the opportunity to build their skills in embedded pragmatic clinical trials (ePCTs) in people living with dementia (PLWD). Learners can take individual courses or enroll in our new certificate program “Basic Principles of Conducting ePCTs in People Living with Dementia and Care Partners.”

The “Basic Principles of Conducting ePCTs in People Living with Dementia and Care Partners” certificate program includes 12 IMPACT courses with brief 2-question quizzes which provides a foundation in the principles of conducting ePCTs in health care systems for PLWD and their care partners. Access to the program and all courses within the new learning platform is free, but requires registration.

The platform houses all IMPACT training modules and gives learners control over when and how they engage with IMPACT training materials.  The current training library includes 10-15 minute video courses designed for investigators, health systems leaders, research staff, and others who want to learn about the design and conduct of ePCTs. Topic areas include: design and statistics, stakeholder engagement, ethics and regulation, health equity in pragmatic trials, implementation, patient and caregiver relevant outcomes, and technical data considerations.

Training Materials are developed by content experts from IMPACT cores and teams and thought leaders from across the nation, collaborated by the IMPACT Training Core, led by Christopher Callahan, MD, MACP, and Alexia Torke, MD, MS. The development of educational materials is overseen by Training Core member and IMPACT Executive Director, Ellen McCarthy, PhD, MPH.

Learners can engage IMPACT training content by enrolling in either individual courses or Certificate Programs. Learn more by visiting the site and creating a free account!

Mission Moment: Barbara Healy, RN, MSN, Care Coordinator, MassGeneral Brigham Integrated Care Management Program

Posted on by Sonya Sutton

Barbara Healy, RN, BSN, MSN, CCM, NC-BC, Care Coordinator, MassGeneral Brigham Integrated Care Management Program provided this year’s mission moment for the IMPACT Collaboratory 3rd Annual Steering Committee & Business Planning Meeting, held on April 5, 2022.

Ms. Healy shared her unique experience in her role as nursing care manager working on the front line as a care coordinator in a pilot pragmatic clinical trial embedded within a healthcare system.

Ms. Healy provided valuable insights from the perspective of a frontline member of the healthcare team working with researchers to conducting pragmatic clinical trial among people living with dementia in real world care settings. She also shared lessons learned and themes for consideration as researchers design and implement pragmatic trials embedding in real world settings in the future.

Remarks from the National Institute on Aging

Posted on by Sonya Sutton

IMPACT Richard J. Hodes, MD, Director of the National Institute of Aging reflected on what he described as the enormous success of the first three years of the IMPACT Collaboratory during the IMPACT Collaboratory 3rd Annual Steering Committee & Business Planning Meeting, held on April 5, 2022.

Dr. Hodes discussed the development of a strong network of investigators and infrastructure for conducting embedded pragmatic clinical trials (ePCTs) in people living with dementia and their care partners, the development of an array of training resources, and IMPACT’s response to the COVID pandemic.  He closed with anticipation of future successes including continued investments in training, infrastructure development, knowledge dissemination, and stakeholder engagement.