Background

The Preparedness and Treatment Equity Coalition (PTEC), in partnership with AcademyHealth, is committed to developing methods for the collection and use of data to decrease health inequity. Novel approaches and inspired collaborations are necessary to identify ways to measure and reward more equitable health outcomes. PTEC is particularly focused on solutions for vaccine equity and conditions that disproportionally affect Black, Latinx, Asian, and Native American communities, such as cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders.

This annual call for proposals (CFP) provides grant support for research studies that harness the power of data to identify metrics, outcome measures, or payment models that can be used to encourage practices that decrease inequity in the health care system. Supported research is intended to not merely be descriptive, but to identify inequity and propose data-driven solutions. 

Timeline

  • July 16, 2021: Brief Proposals Due
  • September 1, 2021: Full Proposals Due

Award Information

  • Three (3) grants of $50,000 to support project-related costs, and access to services of data partners.
  • Three (3) awards of no-cost access to services of data partners, with no direct financial support for project-related costs.
  • Our data partners, IQVIA and Milliman, will work with the awardees to support their research requirements.

Why Participate

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the pervasive inequity that exists in the U.S. health care system. Decreased access to testing, treatment, and vaccination has increased COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in underserved populations, especially Black, Latinx, and Native American communities. The high rate of underlying risk factors such as cardiovascular and metabolic disease makes infectious diseases such as COVID-19 deadlier and more destructive. With the advent of effective vaccines, the COVID-19 epidemic will eventually abate. However, the health inequity that imperils the lives of Black, Latinx, Asian, and Native American communities will remain.

As the available data grows and payment shifts from fee-for-service to models based on treatment value and patient outcomes, now is the time to determine how to address underlying inequity in care delivery through more effective use of data and reimbursement models. Health system reforms are advancing within an inequitable health system structure. The Coalition aims to determine how value-based care and outcomes measurement could be reformed with health equity as a goal.

How to Apply

To submit a proposal, please email your submission to ptecmail@academyhealth.org with the subject line “PTEC Brief Proposal Submission” by July 16, 2021 (This deadline has passed).

Brief proposals should include the following:

  • 2-page concept proposal, single-spaced, size 12 font (maximum)
  • Consisting of Summary, Specific Aims, and Research Strategy
  • Please include cover page with Proposal Title, Names, Affiliations (not part of page limit)
  • Please include biography page with 1 paragraph bios of key personnel (not part of page limit)

Proposals should examine systemic racism as a cause of inequity in the United States health care system, and focus on cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, or vaccination. We strongly encourage proposals that also examine other intersectional factors that influence health equity including age, disability, or LGBTQ+ identities. Proposals may include research on other disease states as long as they demonstrate a connection to cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, or vaccination.

Click here to learn about the official rules and instructions for the CFP, including eligibility requirements, criteria, and other resources. Proposals that meet the requirements and selection criteria listed in the full CFP may be invited to submit a full proposal (due September 1st, 2021). 

Questions? Contact us at ptecmail@academyhealth.org to receive updates and information. Read through our FAQ here. 

Research Examples

Research supported by this CFP is not intended to be merely descriptive, but to identify inequity and propose a data-driven solution.

Examples of this include:

  • Value-based metrics for asthma encourage providers to avoid treating children with poorly controlled asthma, who are more likely to be people of color. This often causes children of color to experience delays in their vaccination schedules, increasing their risk of acquiring an infectious disease. How can the metrics be changed to discourage this practice and reward providers who continue to treat these patients?
  • Metabolic syndrome, prevalent among women of color, is associated with increased breast cancer risk. A higher proportion of Black, Latina, and Asian women are under 50 when diagnosed with breast cancer compared to white women, but these women are less likely to be asked by their providers to participate in clinical research studies. What factors impact providers’ decisions to invite younger women of color to participate in clinical research? Would including racial/ethnic diversity as an outcome measure incentivize providers and researchers to create more equitable studies?
  • An insurance company uses an AI product to develop discharge plans for patients after cardiovascular surgery to decrease readmission rates. The algorithm prioritizes cardiovascular surgery patients who have more contact with the medical system; data shows these patients are overwhelmingly white and of higher socioeconomic status. How can the AI product be improved to assign more post-operative support for Black patients?

More Information About PTEC

The Preparedness and Treatment Equity Coalition (PTEC) brings together multi-sector stakeholders to narrow the disparities in pandemic preparedness, morbidity, and mortality through more effective use of diagnostic tests, vaccines and medicines and supportive care addressing underlying infectious, cardiovascular, and metabolic risk factors. The coalition is focused on developing evidence to guide health system delivery and payment reforms in partnership with data partners including IQVIA and Milliman as well as AcademyHealth. This will result in more equitable access to reduce the pandemic associated death and devastation for Black, Latinx, Asian, and Native American communities and the underlying conditions that make this pandemic even more deadly in these communities. Visit the PTEC website to learn more.