Limited Call for Proposals for HSII Implementation Projects -- Fall 2023

Notice of PCORI Funding Announcement 

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has released a Limited Call for Proposals for Health Systems Implementation Initiative (HSII) Implementation Projects. The Call for Proposals (CFP) provides an opportunity for HSII Participants to propose projects that promote the uptake of specific evidence from PCORI-funded comparative clinical effectiveness research within their healthcare delivery settings. Each HSII Participant may propose one project in response to this CFP.  

Project Types

Applicants have the opportunity to propose one of two project types:  

1. HSII Implementation Projects. These projects will have the goal of broadly integrating evidence into care delivery within the health system’s settings. HSII Implementation Projects should accomplish the desired practice change in ways that are sustainable within the HSII Participant delivery setting and scalable within their system, as relevant. Projects will include rigorous program evaluation that documents the execution of implementation activities, as well as the impact on health and healthcare outcomes.

2. HSII Pilot Projects. These projects will have the goal of developing and/or refining a proposed implementation approach—i.e., a bundle of implementation strategies—and then piloting the use of the approach by integrating use of the evidence on a small scale. Project evaluation will be designed to demonstrate the feasibility and readiness of that approach, paving the way for a broader effort within the health system once the HSII Pilot Project is complete.  

Evidence Topics 

The CFP includes the following two topics as the focus of proposed HSII Implementation Projects or HSII Pilot Projects:  

1. Intensive Lifestyle Treatment for Weight Loss in Primary Care Settings  

2. Appropriate Antibiotic Prescribing for Children with Acute Respiratory Tract Infections (ARTIs)

Additional information on the evidence topics, including the targeted population, settings, program components and considerations regarding adaptations, are included in the CFP.  

Project Budgets

Maximum project budgets that applicants may request vary based on project type, the evidence topic selected as the focus for implementation and project scale in terms of the number of participating care delivery sites. PCORI anticipates maximum project budget levels will be:  

• For HSII Implementation Projects (total costs): 

• For HSII Pilot Projects (total costs): Up to $200,000 

Project Duration

• For HSII Implementation Projects: Up to 42 months (3.5 years). Project timelines should be structured to include these phases:  

  • Pre-Implementation (up to 12 months): Preparation for implementation 

  • Active Implementation Phase (at least 12 months and up to 24 months): Delivery of the intervention/program as part of standard care with implementation support 

  • Maintenance Phase (at least six months): Continued delivery of the intervention/program with reduced or no implementation support 

  • Final Reporting and Project Close-Out (concurrent with Maintenance): Final evaluation activities (e.g., data collection, analysis) and preparation of the final report 

• For HSII Pilot Projects: At least six months and up to 18 months. Project timelines should account for when the implementation approach will be finalized, when the pilot will launch, and when data collection and analysis activities will be completed.  

Applicant Eligibility

• Eligible HSII Participant Organizations: Health systems that are participating in the Health Systems Implementation Initiative (i.e., that have a fully executed HSII Master Funding Agreement with PCORI for HSII) are eligible to submit a proposal in response to this CFP. 

• Eligible Principal Investigators: The Principal Investigator must be a Master Funding Agreement (MFA) Project Lead designated in the MFA entered into by the HSII Participant Organization. If proposing a Dual-Principal Investigator structure, at least one Principal Investigator must be a MFA Project Lead designated in the MFA; the other can be another leader, or a second MFA Project Lead (if there are two MFA Project Leads designated in the MFA). 

HSII Participants are encouraged to refer to the HSII FAQs web page for further information and any updates.