PCORI Stories
What does patient-centered research look like in the field? These short features provide a glimpse into the workings of the studies and projects we support. Hear from researchers what it’s like to partner with patients and other stakeholders, and from patients about being part of a research team.
Displaying 26 - 50 of 75 results
Helping Men Decide on Prostate Cancer Treatment
Problems are more likely three years after surgery than after radiation or surveillance, a study finds.
Engagement Project Yields Unexpected Dividends
PCORI-funded conferences about a genetic condition were the springboard to statewide observances and launch of a clinic.
Preventing Life-Threatening Blood Clots
A study finds success in educating hospitalized patients about the importance of preventive treatment.
Tackling Chronic Pain While Reducing Opioid Use
A health system in Washington instituted a clinical plan that has succeeded in lowering patients’ opioid doses, according to a PCORI-funded study.
Finding the Keys to a Longer, Better Life after Stroke
Patients who have a stroke often receive medications to prevent a recurrence. Researchers are using medical records and new patient-reported data to examine the benefits and risks of these treatments.
Does a Personalized Approach Help Young People Manage Type 1 Diabetes?
Staying on top of blood sugar levels is of utmost importance for people with type 1 diabetes. For children and teens, can group-based self-management resources tailored to their needs help?
Fighting Weight Gain in Children and Teens Who Take Bipolar Disorder Medications
Can a diabetes drug, along with lifestyle changes, keep off extra pounds and improve quality of life?
Picking the Easier Way to Fight Serious Infections in Children
When children leave the hospital after treatment for a serious infection, doctors sometimes prescribe antibiotics delivered intravenously. But new research suggests oral antibiotics can be as effective, with fewer complications.
Home-Based Care for Chronic Kidney Disease
Kidney disease is rampant among Zuni Indians. Researchers test a novel home-based care model to combat the epidemic.
Helping Patients with Chest Pain Make Decisions in the ER
Emergency physicians often recommend—or urge—monitoring and further testing when they see patients with chest pain, even if they haven’t had a heart attack. A study shows benefits of patients’ and doctors’ using a decision aid to guide next steps.
Moving Beyond Averages
Data from clinical trials tend to be reported as what works for the “average” patient, but new statistical methods can make results more meaningful for individual patients
Can Virtual House Calls Provide More Patients with High-Quality Parkinson's Disease Care?
Patients with Parkinson's disease often have difficulty traveling to appointments with far-away specialists. Simple videoconferencing software may bring care into their homes.
Considering Patient Concerns during Trauma Care
Urgent treatment of serious injuries traditionally focuses on saving lives and limbs. Adding efforts to address individual patients’ needs may improve the experience and its outcomes.
Enlisting the Brain in the Fight against Pain
A project in Alabama takes a down-to-earth approach in teaching patients to think differently and cope more effectively with chronic pain. It may alleviate depression, too.
Using Mobile Technology to Increase Screening for Hepatitis B and C among Asian Americans
Americans of Asian ancestry have an increased risk of hepatitis B and, in some cases, hepatitis C, but many have not been screened for these illnesses. Researchers are testing an interactive app to see whether it encourages more people to be screened.
Choosing the Right Antibiotic for a Child's Respiratory Infection
A PCORI-funded study compares the outcomes of treatment with targeted versus broader-spectrum bacteria-killing medications.
To Stay at Home, Older Adults Should Plan Ahead
Many Americans fail to plan for the health events that commonly occur when they reach their 80s, 90s, or 100s. Researchers are working with older adults to develop a tool that helps them have a voice in what happens as their health needs grow.
Helping Families Make a Big Decision -- Fast -- about a Child's Appendicitis
While the traditional treatment is surgery to remove the appendix, antibiotics have emerged as an alternative. When both treatments are medically appropriate, an iPad app might help families quickly decide which option is best for their them.
Dealing with Cancer Symptoms and Treatment Side Effects
Many patients suffer from severe symptoms, as well as troubling side effects. How can patients and care providers best manage them?
Creating a "Zone of Openness" at the Doctor's Office
Patients fear that disagreeing with the doctor will reduce the quality of their care; California researchers are developing a tool to help clinicians invite patients’ points of view.
Between Clinicians and Patients, Trained Community Members May Provide a Key Link
Community health workers and patient navigators work to lower barriers patients may face in receiving care and following treatment plans. PCORI-funded studies are testing whether lay people on clinical teams make a measurable difference.
Medication Choices Based on Data, Not Fear
Researchers are investigating how patients with inflammatory bowel disease weigh treatment benefits and risks—and then are using that information to consider differences between two types of drugs.
From Vaccine Tug-of-War to Parent-Pediatrician Dialogue
Many parents have concerns about vaccines for infants and toddlers, including safety questions; California researchers are surveying parents to learn how to help them make decisions more effectively.
At Teenagers' Checkups, Height, Weight--and Cholesterol?
How do adolescents, and their parents, feel about screenings for high cholesterol—and will screening lead to treatment that improves health?
The PROMIS in Putting Patients' Waiting Room Time to Good Use
Patients struggle to provide their full health perspective; a Baltimore team examines whether an iPad questionnaire can improve patient-doctor communication
