NIH CARE for Health: The first 3 awardee institutions

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Launches CARE for Health™ Program to Enhance Research Equity

NIH has awarded over $5 million to three institutions to launch the Communities Advancing Research Equity for Health™ (CARE for Health™) program. This initiative aims to create a primary care clinical research network that engages historically underrepresented communities.

NIH Director Dr. Monica M. Bertagnolli emphasized the importance of collaborating with local partners to address pressing health challenges through primary care-focused clinical research.

“We eagerly anticipate collaborating with our local partners – primary care providers and patient communities – to tackle the health challenges they identify as most pressing. These awards will lay the groundwork for primary care-focused clinical research, creating opportunities for people to engage in research that matters to them right where they receive their care.” – Monica M. Bertagnolli

The awardees will focus on engaging their rural community partners as part of the CARE for Health™ pilot. As the NIH develops the program’s infrastructure, future efforts will expand to include additional underrepresented populations in clinical research.

The awardees will participate in ongoing NIH-funded studies and conduct extensive engagement activities to identify and address key clinical questions prioritized by the primary care providers and communities they serve. They will also collaborate with NIH and their patient and practitioner communities to create innovative studies that tackle these questions.

The first awardee institutions of NIH CARE for Health™:

1. Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU): Launching the PRaCTICE Network Research Hub, partnering with rural research networks across six states.

2. University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW): Establishing the Wisconsin Research and Education Network (WREN), collaborating with 80 primary care clinics in Wisconsin.

3. West Virginia University (WVU): Creating the West Virginia Rural Roots to Research (WVR3) Network, engaging rural sites in underserved areas.

Monica Bertagnolli shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Today is an exciting first step for the NIH Communities Advancing Research Equity for Health (or CARE for Health) pilot program! Three institutions have been awarded funding to lay the groundwork for clinical research in community primary care settings, creating opportunities for people to engage in research that matters to them right where they receive their care.

The first CARE for Health awardee institutions are:

• Oregon Health and Science University
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• West Virginia University

Read more about the awardees.”

Individual organizations and professionals shared this post on social media, adding:

Oregon Clinical and Translational Research: 

“Congrats to OCTRI’s Community and Collaboration team, the Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network, and their collaborators at the Institute of Translational Health Sciences and the WWAMI region Practice and Research Network on this achievement. We look forward to seeing the advancements you make for our rural communities!”

Nicholas Jury:

“An important new program has launched! The National Institutes of Health CARE for Health (TM) program will catalyze clinical research in primary care settings. This is a game changer to move the needle forward on conducting clinical studies at the point of care.”

Bottsie Hicks:

“This southern West Virginia gal is THRILLED to know West Virginia University has been selected as a CARE for Health pilot program! I’m housebound… but I’m in if accommodations can be made! Thank you, Monica Bertagnolli!!”

Linda Stanford:

“Thrilled to see NIH funding this work, congrats to the winners!”

Ranee J Vaughan:

“What an exciting opportunity for West Virginia University! My undergraduate alma mater.”

Milton Eder:

“Shout out to the NIH for embodying the idea that practice-based research will will support evidence-based practice.”

Dannell Boatman:

“This is such an amazing and important initiative. I am so excited to be part of WVU’s CARE for Health pilot program.”

More posts featuring Monica Bertagnolli and NIH on oncodaily.com