This year’s Annual Research Meeting is likely to feel different for many. The current health services research landscape is a dramatic departure from the last few years. Changes in federal policy and especially demand for private sector research support – including what research should address - have been felt strongly at many universities and contract research organizations, through loss of funding and staff reductions.
With all the structural changes happening at the federal level, it might be easy to overlook the unique role and contributions of health services contract research to the health policy ecosystem. Sitting between the public sector and academia, contract research has often been at the center of the health policy continuum. At one end, the public sector (e.g., federal, state, local governments) articulates policy and at other, academic research can inform policy direction and help build the evidence base for new policies and programs. At the intersection, contract research organizations work with the public sector to provide applied research, evaluation, regulatory/rule-making support, and technical assistance that directly support policy development and implementation. The output of that work, which is often presented during AcademyHealth’s Annual Research Meeting, can then help advance academic research by reporting on findings and data that may not be accessible to academics. Contract research organizations bring an interdisciplinary approach, through their staff of health service researchers, health economists, clinicians, epidemiologists, statisticians, programmers, policy analysts, public health professionals and other social scientists, and often years of institutional knowledge about federal and state programs.
Real-world examples of the direct impact of contract research on state and federal programs and policies abound. These include affecting how the federal government pays for health care and measures the quality of what it funds, critical considerations in a nation where more than 17 percent of GDP is spent on health care.
- A team of researchers across four contract research organizations conducted an evaluation of the Bundled Payment for Care Improvement Advanced model. This work showed the model resulted in savings to Medicare and was critical in the decision to pursue certification of the bundled payment approach through the Transforming Episode Accountability Model.
- To measure the quality of hospice care provided through Medicare, contract researchers led the development and testing of the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool. This standardized assessment tool collects data on patient needs, preferences, and outcomes. Nearly half of Medicare beneficiaries die while using hospice, underscoring the importance of measuring hospice quality consistently across providers.
Contract research plays a vital role at the state level as well.
- CompareMaine.org, a partnership between the State of Maine and two contract research organizations, is a user-friendly health care transparency website that allows users to compare the costs and quality of more than 220 procedures at over 280 facilities in the state. Putting data in the hands of health care consumers enables them to make informed decisions about where they receive care.
- Another contract research organization is working with the California Department of Health Care Services and the California Department of Aging to identify gaps in access to home and community-based services for older adults and people with disabilities in California and recommend policy solutions to close the gaps. This project will give state policymakers unique insights into ensuring people have the services and supports they need across the lifespan regardless of payer.
We encourage those in the contract research community who are attending this year’s Annual Research Meeting or in the Twin Cities area to join our annual networking event on Sunday, June 8th at 7 am for an opportunity for informal connections and conversation. On Thursday, June 12th, there will be a virtual opportunity to connect at 6:30 pm Eastern. Due to decreased demand for federally funded contracts for health services research, we will be pausing our annual job fair this year. We hope to be able to bring it back in the future. If you would like to join the listserv for the contract research affinity group, you can register here.
Contract research affinity group activities are organized by Genna Cohen, Debbie Dean, Sara Galantowicz, Rachel Henke, Michael Plotzke, and Namrata Sen. Additional volunteers always welcome!