OHSU, OCHIN awarded $7.2 million NIH grant to implement cancer prevention strategies

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Oct 29, 2019, 19:40 ET

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded the Oregon Health & Science University Department of Family Medicine and OCHIN, Inc. a $7.5 million grant to improve strategies for implementing proven cancer screening and prevention practices.

Supported by the National Cancer Institute as part of the Cancer Moonshot, the grant will allow the two organizations to develop a center of excellence in implementation science, including an "implementation research laboratory," aimed at improving cancer screening and prevention for underserved populations on a national scale.

The BRIDGE-C2 Center -- Building Research in Implementation and Dissemination to close Gaps and achieve Equity in Cancer Control -- will design and implement strategies to improve primary care cancer prevention delivery, support pilot studies, and foster implementation science training for different levels and types of learners.

OCHIN, Inc. – the implementation laboratory – is a national network of community health centers that deliver care to more than a million underserved patients. In partnership with OCHIN's innovative network, the BRIDGE-C2 Center will rapidly evaluate the effectiveness of strategies to improve cancer prevention and share them widely with other primary care settings.

Jen DeVoe, M.D., D.Phil, professor and chair of the Department of Family Medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine and senior research adviser for OCHIN, will lead a team of highly skilled researchers from OHSU and OCHIN.

"Tackling a problem of this size requires collaboration," she says. "We plan to leverage and strengthen the unique partnerships between the OHSU Department of Family Medicine, the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, and OCHIN's well-established national network. We will develop and incubate ideas in OHSU family medicine clinics and then disseminate effective strategies to hundreds of health centers across the OCHIN network."

The OHSU/OCHIN BRIDGE-C2 team will bring together more than 20 people, including Rachel Gold, Ph.D., M.P.H., OCHIN's lead research scientist, who will oversee the implementation laboratory at OCHIN.

"OCHIN has a 20-year record of developing new technology and research to help community health organizations deliver high-quality care. The BRIDGE-C2 Center fits with this effort," says Gold. "The partnership between OCHIN and OHSU is designed to bring the best possible cancer screening and prevention to every community, so patients can live healthier lives."

DeVoe says the development of effective strategies to improve our knowledge about how to implement cancer prevention methods to reach all patients in community health centers can reduce or eliminate disparities.

"We know what works to prevent cancer – like tobacco cessation or regular health screenings – but little is known about the best strategies to support health systems in their efforts to consistently implement those guideline-based recommendations consistently and broadly," explains DeVoe, "This study will help us make sure evidence-based care gets to every person who needs it."

The BRIDGE-C2 Center is part of the Implementation Science Centers in Cancer Control Program at the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, which supports the rapid development, testing, and refinement of innovative approaches to implement a range of evidence-based cancer control interventions.

The six centers all feature "implementation laboratories" involving clinical and community sites that will engage in implementation research across the cancer control continuum. These centers collectively provide leadership for an Implementation Science consortium across this and other Cancer Moonshot initiatives. Other centers are located at Harvard University, University of Colorado Denver, University of Washington, Wake Forest School of Medicine, and Washington University in St. Louis.

Research reported in this press release is supported by the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health under award number P50CA244289.

About OHSU

OHSU is the only academic health center in Oregon and is nationally distinguished as a research university dedicated solely to advancing health sciences. This singular purpose allows us to focus on discoveries that prevent and cure disease, on education that prepares physicians, dentists, nurses and other health professionals for the evolving health care environment, and on patient care that incorporates the latest advances. Based in Portland, we are one of Oregon's largest employers, operate the top-ranked adult and children's hospitals in the state, and secure competitive research funding of more than $400 million. As a public organization, we also provide services for the most vulnerable Oregonians and outreach to improve health in communities across the state.

Contact:
Amanda Gibbs, 503.494.8231, [email protected]

About OCHIN

OCHIN is dedicated to creating a healthier future in every community. A national nonprofit health IT organization with a 20-year history, OCHIN brings advanced technology, research and services to underserved areas, both urban and rural. A driving force for health equity, OCHIN empowers community health organizations serving lower-income areas so that they can deliver the highest quality care to their patients. Learn more at www.ochin.org.

Contact:
Jennifer Stoll, 503.943.5787, [email protected]

SOURCE OCHIN