The “Market R&D Pilot Challenge” launched October 20, 1214 is intended to bring healthcare organizations and innovative companies together to help the testing process bring products and technologies to market. The situation is that once an innovative new product has been developed, it needs to be tested in real life settings, but providers can be hesitant to host this testing for a myriad of reasons.
Without this testing, it is difficult to determine how well the product actually works, which makes it difficult for developers to identify the changes that need to be made to make the product more effective. Also, without evidence of the product’s use, it can make it much harder to acquire venture funding needed to bring the product to the marketplace.
The Challenge plans to award pilot proposals to six winners to go to clinical environments, public health and community environments, and consumer health. The goals encourage early collaboration between entrepreneurs, medical and public health personnel, patients, and the research community to link innovation in health IT to innovation in care delivery.
The review panel will select the winners based on pilot proposal and design, budget, potential for health impact, relevance to ONC priorities, potential for the innovator’s product, team experience, and the proposed delivery to the public.
Six Host/Innovator teams will each receive $50,000 in prizes. The teams will receive 50 percent following the award and 50 percent will be disbursed after the pilot is completed. Up to $300,000 will be distributed in prizes.
Submissions are due March 2, 2015. For more information, go to the October 21, 2014 Federal Register pages 62951-62953 or email Adam Wong at adam.wong@hhs.gov.