The PaTH from discovery to implementation: Using a PCORnet® Clinical Research Network's own research to prioritize...

Applying research findings to health care practice has typically been a prolonged process, resulting in frustration to patients, providers, and other health system constituents. The PaTH Clinical Research Network developed the Discovery to Implementation (D2I) Initiative, rooted in Learning Health Systems principles, to engage constituents across seven academic sites/affiliated health systems in a process of identifying and prioritizing topics for future health improvement activities.

To develop a consensus process to prioritize topics derived from the network's own research for future implementation efforts conducted by network-based Learning Communities. To apply this process to identify priority topics based on the network's recently published research.

We developed a multi-institutional process for engaging a broad variety of perspectives to systematically review and evaluate PaTH-affiliated, patient-focused health research published between 2020 and 2022. Each site invited local constituents including patients, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, funders, health plan representatives, and health system leaders to help prioritize research topics and identify potential Learning Community areas of focus. D2I activities included brief surveys, review of data from the PCORnet® Common Data Model, and a multi-step deliberative process during two virtual events.

The D2I Initiative included the participation of nearly 90 constituents in its iterative process to prioritize research topics. From 21 publications of patient-focused PaTH-affiliated research, three topics emerged as the highest priority for potential quality improvement work: back pain, hypertension, and frailty. Furthermore, the D2I Initiative mobilized interest in three potential Learning Communities to work toward implementing health care innovations.

The D2I format is an innovative, engaging, and scalable model for involving constituents throughout our health systems to prioritize topics for future improvement activities. The process aims, ultimately, to reduce the time from research discovery to health systems improvements while maintaining a focus on the needs and priorities of those involved at multiple system levels.