Pilot ePCT

IMPACT community members seek improvements in post-acute care in SNFs

Posted on by Erin Luers

IMPACT community members, Joan Carpenter, PhD, CRNP, Nancy Hodgson, PhD, RN, and Laura  Hanson, MD, MPH share the results of their recent pilot pragmatic trial which was supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K23NR017663 and the Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation, New York.

The trial explores the feasibility of implementing a palliative care intervention during post-acute care to improve outcomes and reduce the need for rehospitalizations.

The two-group, multisite feasibility pilot pragmatic clinical trial, which was conducted at 12 SNFs co-located in continuing care retirement communities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United States, evaluated the feasibility of implementing the primary palliative care in post-acute care (PPC-PAC) intervention in the post-acute care skilled nursing facility (SNF) setting.

Implementation of the PPC-PAC intervention proved feasible and acceptable among older adults and clinicians. Future research is needed to focus on testing the effectiveness of PPC-PAC and explore strategies for optimal intervention implementation and SNF staff engagement.

Read the full article here.

Gabbard quoted in New York Times article on having the conversation that matters most

Posted on by Erin Luers

Jennifer Gabbard, MD, an IMPACT member and director of the Palliative Medicine Research Program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, shares important perspectives regarding end-of-life care goals and planning in a recent New York Times article.

The article provides a roadmap to starting this important dialogue, including key elements of an advance directive such as a living will and healthcare power of attorney, along with practical tips of guidance.

Read the full article at https://nyti.ms/3OQByQm

Unroe receives $15.5 million NIH award to develop a national network to include nursing home residents in clinical trials

Posted on by Erin Luers

Congratulations to IMPACT Associate Pilot Core Leader, Kathleen Unroe, MD, MHA, MS, of IU School of Medicine and Regenstrief Institute and team on recent 5-year award from the National Institutes of Health to develop NEXT STEPs (Nursing Home EXplanatory Clinical Trials: Supporting Transformation by Enhancing Partnerships), an innovative national nursing home clinical trials network.

Researcher-clinicians from the IU School of Medicine and Regenstrief will lead the initiative to increase nursing home resident participation in clinical trials by removing barriers to participation and creating a more inclusive approach.

Dr. Unroe is the principal investigator of the initiative which includes research sites in nine states and collaborative work with multiple institutions including:

  • Regenstrief Institute, Inc.
  • Brown University
  • University of Maryland, Baltimore
  • University of Utah
  • Hebrew Rehabilitation Center
  • The Regents of University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
  • University of Colorado Denver in the amount
  • Institute for Healthcare Improvement
  • Rhode Island Hospital
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Duke University
  • New York University

Learn more about this groundbreaking new initiative at https://www.regenstrief.org/article/award-funds-network-to-include-nursing-home-residents-in-clinical-trials/

 

IMPACT members share pandemic-era nursing home dementia care findings in JAGS article

Posted on by Jeannine Sato

 IMPACT members Kathleen Unroe, MD, MHA, MS and Health Care Systems Scholar Gail Towsley, PhD, MS, NHA published an article  in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS). The editorial article, Learning from the experience of dementia care for nursing home residents during the pandemic, comments on an article by Gadbois et al, about nursing home care during the COVID pandemic. Unroe and Towsley comment on issues including the need for dementia care specific staff training, the value of telehealth communication, and the particular importance of expanding family roles in nursing home care. The authors describe the creation of the Moving Forward Nursing Home Quality Coalition as a response to pandemic-era policies which prevented family members from visiting nursing home residents to limit COVID transmission

Read the full article.

IMPACT Collaboratory announces release of funding opportunity RFA for Cycle 5A of Pilot Program

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 is pleased to announce a Request for Applications for the Pilot Grants Program Cycle 5A.

 In this cycle, the IMPACT Collaboratory will fund up to five 1-year awards for pilot pragmatic clinical trials (ePCTs) that test non-pharmacological interventions embedded in health care system(s) for people living with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (ADRD) and their care partners. All applications should make a convincing case that the pilot ePCT proposed can take the next step to a full-scale Stage IV effectiveness ePCT, as defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is anticipated that Pilot Studies will be funded for up to $200,000 in direct costs for a maximum of 12-months (direct costs were raised from $175,000 to $200,000). Applicants from under-represented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply for funding. For more information, please see our Pilot Grants Program page.

All applications for pilot ePCTs that evaluate non-pharmacological interventions to improve the care of people living with AD/ADRD and their care partners will be considered. However, this grant cycle will prioritize applications for interventions in these populations that aim to:

  • Improve care through behavioral economics “nudge” interventions;
  • Reduce inequities in health care;
  • Reduce potentially inappropriate medications through de-prescribing; or
  • Improve care in emergency departments.

The goal of the pilot projects is to generate the preliminary data necessary to design and conduct a future full-scale Stage IV effectiveness ePCT (based on the NIH Stage Model) funded through other grant mechanisms (NIH or other sources). Preference will be given to applications that address dementia care for populations traditionally marginalized or underrepresented in clinical trials and those that promote health equity.

Informational Webinar

An optional informational webinar will be hosted to provide investigators with an overview of application details and an opportunity to ask questions. Pre-registration is required using the link below.

Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at 12:00pm ET: Registration closed.

 Letters of Intent (LOI) – Required
Interested applicants are required to submit an LOI. LOIs are accepted on a rolling basis through:

March 3, 2023 @5PM ET

Full Proposals (By invitation only)

Applications selected for further consideration will be invited to submit a full proposal due:

June 16, 2023 @ 5pm ET

The HEAR‐VA Pilot Study: Hearing Assistance Provided to Older Adults in the Emergency Department

Posted on by Beth C

The HEAR‐VA Pilot Study: Hearing Assistance Provided to Older Adults in the Emergency Department

February 11, 2021

This paper reviews the results of a pilot study which assessed the feasibility and potential benefit of providing a simple hearing assistance device during an emergency department (ED) visit, for people who reported difficulty hearing. Read the full article here.

Apply Now for the 3rd Annual Virtual ePCT Training Workshop | January 25-26, 2023

Posted on by Erin Luers

Building Skills to Conduct Embedded Pragmatic Clinical Trials for People Living with Dementia and their Care Partners

Wednesday, January 25th, 2023  |  11:00am - 3:30pm ET
Thursday, January 26th, 2023  |  11:00am - 5:00pm ET

Apply here!

This year’s modules will focus on:

  • Using real-world data to identify PLWD and ascertain outcomes in ePCTs
  • Designing the implementation evaluation for an ePCT
  • Defining a pilot: What is a pilot study for an ePCT?

The IMPACT Collaboratory will hold our third annual Training Workshop on January 25-26, 2023 entitled Building Skills to Conduct Embedded Pragmatic Clinical Trials (ePCTs) among People Living with Dementia (PLWD) and their Care Partners. This 1.5-day virtual workshop features all new material to build a foundation in practical aspects of designing and conducting ePCTs in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (ADRD). The workshop will include a combination of activities including: panel discussions, small group sessions, and networking opportunities with experts in the field.

We are inviting applications from early to mid-stage researchers who seek to develop competence in designing and conducting ePCTs of non-pharmacological interventions embedded in health care systems for PLWD and care partners.

Upon completion of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Transmit knowledge about designing and conducting ePCTs among PLWD and care partners in health care systems that integrates considerations related to identifying PLWD and ascertaining pragmatic outcomes
  • Problem-solve common challenges in designing and conducting ePCTs for PLWD and care partners
  • Apply the acquired knowledge to move their current and future research in ePCTs forward, including applying for competitive funding

Successful applicants will be expected to complete selected readings and online training prior to the workshop. All participants are expected to attend and participate in the entire 1.5-day event.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your online application using the following link:
IMPACT Training Workshop Application

Deadline: October 21, 2022

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Applicants should have an MD, PhD, or equivalent research degree
  • Hold a full-time position at an academic or research organization in the United States
  • Early-stage investigators pursuing careers conducting ePCTs in AD/ADRD
  • Mid-career investigators seeking to pursue research on ePCTs in AD/ADRD

Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Selection Criteria: Applicants will be selected based on their demonstrated commitment to improving care of PLWD and/or their care partners through the conduct of ePCTs in HCS and the potential impact of the workshop on promoting the applicant’s career in this area.

Find the working agenda and more information about the workshop on our website at impactcollaboratory.org/training-workshop. Email IMPACTcollaboratory@hsl.harvard.edu with questions regarding this opportunity.

IMPACT Collaboratory Announcing Release of RFA for Cycle 4A of Pilot Program Funding Opportunity

Posted on by Erin Luers

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) Imbedded Pragmatic Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Collaboratory is happy to announce a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Pilot Grants Program Cycle 4A.

In this cycle, the IMPACT Collaboratory will fund up to five 1-year awards for pilot pragmatic clinical trials (ePCTs) that test non-pharmacological interventions embedded in health care system(s) for people living with AD/ADRD and their care partners. Pilot Studies will be funded for up to $175,000 in direct costs for a maximum of 12-months. For more information, please see our Pilot Grants Program page.

The goal of the pilot projects is to generate the preliminary data necessary to design and conduct a future full-scale Stage IV effectiveness ePCT (based on the NIH Stage Model) funded through other grant mechanisms (NIH or other sources)

The IMPACT Collaboratory will consider all applications for pilot ePCTs that evaluate non-pharmacological interventions to improve the care of people living with AD/ADRD and their care partners. This grant cycle will prioritize applications for interventions in these populations that aim to:

  • Improve care through behavioral economics “nudge” interventions;
  • Reduce inequities in health care;
  • Reduce potentially inappropriate medications through de-prescribing; or
  • Improve care in emergency departments.

Informational Webinar

An optional informational webinar will be hosted to provide investigators with an overview of application details and an opportunity to ask questions. Pre-registration is required using the link below.

Monday, February 14 at 2:00 pm ET: Registration closed.

Letters of Intent (LOI) Due – Required

Interested applicants are required to submit an LOI. LOIs are accepted on a rolling basis through March 4, 2022 @ 5pm ET

Full Applications Due – By invitation only

Applications selected for further consideration will be invited to submit a full proposal due June 17, 2022 @ 5pm ET