Project Summary
PCORI implementation projects promote the use of findings from PCORI-funded studies in real-world healthcare and other settings. These projects build toward broad use of evidence to inform healthcare decisions.
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This PCORI-funded implementation project is expanding the use of a community health worker (CHW) program shown to improve quality of care and reduce hospital stays for patients facing socioeconomic disadvantage. |
| An estimated 34 million Americans live in poverty in the United States. People facing socioeconomic disadvantage are more likely to experience life challenges such as racism, job loss, social isolation, and lack of high-quality primary care. These challenges increase the risk of chronic health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. | |
What is the goal of this implementation project?
CHWs are trustworthy people who come from the communities they serve. They can improve health within their communities through social support, advocacy, coaching, and navigation. A PCORI-funded study found that a standardized CHW program called IMPaCT improved quality of care and reduced hospital stays among patients living in low-income neighborhoods. In IMPaCT, CHWs get to know their patients’ life stories and provide tailored support based on patients’ needs and preferences.
This project will expand the use of IMPaCT to five healthcare organizations across the U.S. to support patients who live in low-income communities and have chronic health problems.
What will this project do?
The project team will adapt IMPaCT for the new sites, which include a federally qualified health center, three healthcare systems, and a health plan. Core parts of IMPaCT, such as guidance for hiring CHWs, will be the same for each site. The team will adapt other IMPaCT materials for local patients, caregivers, and clinicians by working with staff at each site.
The project team will support sites during the process of putting IMPaCT in place. The team will
- Help recruit and hire CHWs who can build trust with patients
- Train CHWs, people who directly supervise them, and people who oversee the CHW program at each site
- Provide ongoing support and feedback
- Refine the program as needed for each site
What is the expected impact of this project?
In this project, more than 4,000 patients who live in low-income communities and have chronic health problems will receive support from CHWs. The project evaluation will confirm whether IMPaCT is working as intended to reduce health disparities and hospital stays.
The project will show what’s required to extend IMPaCT to new healthcare sites. The sites have expressed a strong commitment to continuing and expanding the program after this project ends.
More about this implementation project:
Stakeholders Involved in This Project
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Implementation Strategies
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Evaluation OutcomesTo document implementation:
To assess healthcare and health outcomes:
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More to Explore...
Videos
Expanding IMPaCT Community Health Worker Program
Principal Investigator Shreya Kangovi, MD, MS, shares the results of her PCORI-funded research project that evaluated IMPaCT, a standardized form of support to patients from community health workers. Kangovi’s team is now expanding the implementation of IMPaCT beyond Philadelphia, where that original project took place, through this project.
Project Information
Key Dates
Study Registration Information
Initial PCORI-Funded Research Study
This implementation project focuses on putting findings into practice from this completed PCORI-funded research study: Collaborative Goal Setting with or without Community Health Worker Support for Patients with Multiple Chronic Conditions
Note: Aditi Vasan, MD, MSHP served as Interim Principal Investigator of this project while Principal Investigator Shreya Kangovi, MD, MS was on sabbatical in 2021.
| PCORI implementation projects promote the use of findings from PCORI-funded studies in real-world healthcare and other settings. These projects build toward broad use of evidence to inform healthcare decisions. | |
|
This PCORI-funded implementation project is expanding the use of a community health worker (CHW) program shown to improve quality of care and reduce hospital stays for patients facing socioeconomic disadvantage. |
| An estimated 34 million Americans live in poverty in the United States. People facing socioeconomic disadvantage are more likely to experience life challenges such as racism, job loss, social isolation, and lack of high-quality primary care. These challenges increase the risk of chronic health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. | |
Implementation Project Summary
What is the goal of this implementation project?
CHWs are trustworthy people who come from the communities they serve. They can improve health within their communities through social support, advocacy, coaching, and navigation. A PCORI-funded study found that a standardized CHW program called IMPaCT improved quality of care and reduced hospital stays among patients living in low-income neighborhoods. In IMPaCT, CHWs get to know their patients’ life stories and provide tailored support based on patients’ needs and preferences.
This project will expand the use of IMPaCT to five healthcare organizations across the U.S. to support patients who live in low-income communities and have chronic health problems.
What will this project do?
The project team will adapt IMPaCT for the new sites, which include a federally qualified health center, three healthcare systems, and a health plan. Core parts of IMPaCT, such as guidance for hiring CHWs, will be the same for each site. The team will adapt other IMPaCT materials for local patients, caregivers, and clinicians by working with staff at each site.
The project team will support sites during the process of putting IMPaCT in place. The team will
- Help recruit and hire CHWs who can build trust with patients
- Train CHWs, people who directly supervise them, and people who oversee the CHW program at each site
- Provide ongoing support and feedback
- Refine the program as needed for each site
What is the expected impact of this project?
In this project, more than 4,000 patients who live in low-income communities and have chronic health problems will receive support from CHWs. The project evaluation will confirm whether IMPaCT is working as intended to reduce health disparities and hospital stays.
The project will show what’s required to extend IMPaCT to new healthcare sites. The sites have expressed a strong commitment to continuing and expanding the program after this project ends.
More about this implementation project:
Stakeholders Involved in This Project
|
Implementation Strategies
|
Evaluation OutcomesTo document implementation:
To assess healthcare and health outcomes:
|