Fact Sheet: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Investments in Comparative Effectiveness Research for Dissemination, Translation, and Implementation

This fact sheet details how American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for the Office of the Secretary, Health and Human Services will be used to ensure results of comparative effectiveness research are disseminated and implemented. Select for a list of funded projects on this topic.

The Need: Implemented Research

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) funds for the Office of the Secretary, Health and Human Services provide a unique opportunity for a meaningful and sustainable investment in building the foundation for comparative effectiveness research (CER) infrastructure. Significant investment in this activity is unlikely to come from any other source and will fundamentally change the landscape for CER.

The Federal Coordinating Council recognized that currently most funds for CER are directed towards evidence generation rather than the application of evidence at the bedside. Without significant investment in evidence dissemination and implementation into practice, the goal of the Recovery Act legislation—improved health outcomes—could go unrealized.

The Solution: Dissemination, Translation, and Implementation

Several Federal agencies currently engage in dissemination and translation activities, with inconsistent results. Innovative methods and strategies for CER activities are therefore essential for both patients and providers.

Dissemination, translation, and implementation projects are listed below:

Dissemination of Comparative Effectiveness Research to Physicians, Providers, Patients, and Consumers Through Multiple Vehicles  
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs
This project includes multiple sub-proposals that seek to bring innovative, effective, and user-friendly methods to advancing the dissemination of comparative effectiveness concepts and content to patients and providers.

Assessing and Accelerating Implementation Strategies in Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Networks
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
This project funds the development and implementation of strategies for promoting the use of comparative effectiveness findings at the delivery system and community levels, along with an evaluation designed to assess the effectiveness of the interventions themselves and their potential for broader spread.

Accelerating Dissemination and Adoption of Comparative Effectiveness Research by Delivery Systems
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
This project will fund both Federal and non-Federal comparative effectiveness research dissemination and translation efforts.

Enhancing the Adoption of Comparative Effectiveness Research in the Treatment of Serious Mental Illnesses in Medicaid
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
This project will identify the combinations of benefit design, payment, and organizational arrangements that best support the use of evidence-based practices for the severely and persistently mentally ill population in Medicaid, recognizing that Medicaid is the single largest payer of services for this population. The study will evaluate State Medicaid programs' use of effective pharmacotherapy to treat serious mental disorders and will be part of evaluating "benefit design."

Funding Methods: Grants and contracts
Project Durations: Various
Funding Amount: $93.1 million

Further details about grant funding announcements can be found on http://www.grants.gov or http://www.gold.ahrq.gov. Information on contract solicitations can be found at http://www.fbo.gov.