PCORI Names 21 Inaugural Members of New Advisory Panel on Communication and Dissemination Research

WASHINGTON, April 22, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Board of Governors has approved 21 people to serve as the first members of PCORI's new Advisory Panel on Communication and Dissemination Research (CDR). In addition, the Board named 26 other individuals to fill seats coming open on five of PCORI's existing multi-stakeholder advisory panels.

The members of the new CDR advisory panel will lend their expertise and experience to help PCORI's CDR program identify and prioritize key topics in the field for future research. The program concentrates on comparing approaches for communicating and using comparative effectiveness research information, including different approaches for shared decision making between patients and their care providers.

The CDR panel's 21 members represent a range of healthcare stakeholders, including patients, clinicians, researchers, payers, and industry, among others. They bring a variety of relevant experience, including expertise in health literacy, numeracy, and risk communication, as well as dissemination and implementation research.

"Research on how best to communicate and disseminate research results is vital because as the number of healthcare options grows, so does the need for patients and their clinicians to have useful information about what works best to help them make fully informed decisions," said Jean Slutsky, PA, MSPH, PCORI's Chief Engagement and Dissemination Officer and Director of the CDR Program. "We'll benefit from the insights of this knowledgeable and diverse group of advisory panelists."

Five of PCORI's six existing advisory panels will also welcome new members approved by the Board to fill open seats. The new members will assist their panels in advising PCORI on its research activities based on their expertise and personal experience.

The 47 new advisory panel members were selected from 770 applicants. Lists of the new panelists, with brief biographies and conflict of interest disclosures, are available on PCORI's website.

Selections were based on a thorough evaluation of each candidate's expertise, experience, and qualifications related to their panel of interest, as well as their ability to contribute to the panel's tasks and responsibilities. More information about the selection process is available on PCORI's website.

With the addition of the CDR panel, PCORI now has seven multi-stakeholder advisory panels. PCORI's authorizing legislation allows it to appoint permanent or ad hoc advisory panels to assist it in identifying research priorities and establishing its research agenda. Although not policy-making groups, advisory panels' recommendations inform the work and decisions of PCORI's staff, Board, and Methodology Committee.

Five of the seven panels, including the new CDR panel, will hold meetings at the end of May and beginning of June. The others will meet in July. More information on each of the meetings, including dates, can be found on the events page on PCORI's website.

About PCORI
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is an independent, nonprofit organization authorized by Congress in 2010. Its mission is to fund research that will provide patients, their caregivers, and clinicians with the evidence-based information needed to make better-informed healthcare decisions. PCORI is committed to continuously seeking input from a broad range of stakeholders to guide its work. More information is available at www.pcori.org.

SOURCE Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)