The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) https://www.pcori.org recently approved funding for studies that will compare the most effective ways to treat a range of health conditions. Three new projects were recently approved with contracts pending to study if the current level of care is successful.
The City of Hope located in California https://cityofhope.org was approved for PCORI funding to do the research project Comparative Effectiveness Trial of Perioperative Telemonitoring for Functional Recovery and Symptoms with an approved project budget of $4,209,999 which is under review by PCORI.
The study will use electronic monitoring systems to track cancer patient’s symptoms after surgery when they are at home. The patient will wear a watch to track physical activity and will enable patients to share their symptoms with the care team in real time so that the care team will be able to detect and manage problems early.
This project will complete a randomized trial which will be completed at a large cancer center and at two community hospitals. Patients will be assigned to either a remote monitoring groups where symptoms will be monitored by nurses, or to a recovery care program where patients will call the hospital if they have symptoms and problems with daily activities. The project will use TapCloud’s™ electronic monitoring system for use on any smartphone, tablet, or computer.
HealthPartners Institute located in Minneapolis, https://healthpartners/institute.com with the contract pending will do the study Comparing Fingerstick Blood Glucose Monitoring versus Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) in Primary Care with an approved project budget for $3,650,870.
Despite the fact that that CGM is increasingly used by patients with Type 2 diabetes (T2D), it is not known whether CGM technology works as well or better, than fingerstick testing in improving A1C and other important measures especially in primary care settings where most T2D is managed.
Another approved PCORI study with the contract pending, will take place at the University of Kentucky in Lexington Kentucky, https://www.uky.edu to study Online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depressive Symptoms in Rural Patients with Coronary Disease with an approved budget of $2,888,855.
Today, people in rural populations with heart disease and depressive symptoms do not always receive needed therapy for depressive symptoms because of lack of mental health providers in rural areas and because of multiple barriers to traveling.
This study is going to compare the impact of two types of online cognitive behavioral therapy. The therapies will include face-to-face video conferencing versus self-administered internet- based care. The goal is to care for patients with depressive symptoms and provide information on what type of online cognitive behavioral therapy is most effective with the goal to increase the number of patients treated.