Research

Report on Fiscal Year 2006-2007 Activities

The Center for Patient Care and Outcomes Research (PCOR) had another productive year during 2006-07. Despite the ongoing difficult federal funding environment, and without growth in faculty numbers, grant funding increased about 2% over the prior year, to $13.0 million in total funding held by closely-affiliated faculty as Principal Investigators. About 77% of this funding, about $10 million, is derived from the National Institutes of Health. The remainder is funded by the VA HSR&D program, the Department of Defense, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin program. PCOR faculty have involvement in an even longer portfolio of grants, some of which have PIs who are not members of the Center.

The federal funding environment truly presents a challenge for growth in grant funding. For example, two faculty members had grants scored at the 15th percentile that were not funded. Nonetheless, PCOR faculty have had success with both career development and independent research awards. With Dr. Yen's K-award starting with the 2007-08 fiscal year, four PCOR junior faculty members hold NIH career development awards. We expect that growth in funding will come partially from this group over the next year, as NIH does appear to be maintaining better funding percentiles for individuals with a new PI status.

The Center is still focusing on the development of multi-disciplinary research teams. Seven clinical departments (Medicine, Pediatrics, Otolaryngology, Family Medicine, Surgery, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neurosurgery) now have faculty members within PCOR, as well as the Department of Population Health.

Women's health continues to be a major focus for the Center, with a number of projects focused on breast cancer quality of care, breast cancer survivorship care, and osteoporosis (Dr. Neuner). There is other strength in cancer control generally including the breast cancer quality of care and survivorship projects (Drs. Nattinger, Laud, Pezzin, Schapira, Rao), the assessment of lymphedema in breast cancer (Drs. Yen, Sayko), the study of skin cancer outcomes (Dr. Rhee), and survivorship care for lung and prostate cancer (Dr. Schellhase). Drs. Schapira, Farrell, and Brousseau have emphasis on patient communication and decision making, and several faculty focus their work mostly on older populations (Drs. Pezzin, Neuner, Nattinger).

Plans for the Upcoming Year

The Center will continue to focus on maintaining funding for already-funded investigators, and converting career development awards to independent research awards. Some junior faculty are pursuing career development support.