The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute approved funding for seven research studies assessing various healthcare and telehealth approaches to improve COVID-19 patient outcomes and lessen effects of the virus on healthcare workers and communities.
PCORI awarded $22.6 million in total for the studies, with $10.3 million in funds being applied to research examing telehealth treatment approaches.
"While work continues to develop effective therapies and vaccines against COVID-19, it is equally vital to understand the impact of adaptations to healthcare delivery implemented in response to the pandemic and strategies to achieve the best possible outcomes during this time of crisis, particularly among underserved populations," PCORI Executive Director Nakela Cook, MD, said in an Aug. 28 news release.
Here are the organizations receiving funding for telehealth studies:
1. Weill Medical College of Cornell University will receive $3 million to study how telemedicine is offered to and experienced by diverse populations and its effectiveness on outcomes and disparities among people with chronic conditions.
2. University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine will receive $2.5 million to evaluate the use of COVID Watch, an automated home monitoring program for individuals with the virus self-isolating at home.
3. State University of New York will receive $2.5 million to analyze a mindfulness-based stress reduction group intervention via teleconference tech with a mobile app designed to reduce worry and improve other mental health outcomes among adults living in low-income and racial and ethnic minority neighborhoods and lack access to mental healthcare.
4. Penn State University Hershey Medical Center will receive $2.3 million to study infection control in nursing homes that use Project ECHO, which allows nursing home staffs and university-based experts to discuss best practices through interactive virtual sessions.
The remaining $12.3 million in funding will be dispersed among University of California at San Francisco, University of Southern California and Rand Corp. for studies focused on COVID-19 policy impacts, mental health support for healthcare workers and housing and support services.