AAFP calls for board nominations for the Patient-Centered Research Institute

The American Academy of Family Physicians seeks highly qualified family physician members for the national academy to nominate and support for board positions within a new research institute. The Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law signed in March of this year, established the Board of Governors of the
Patient-Centered Research Institute to improve health care quality and enhance evidence-based research.

The purpose of the institute is to establish a research agenda, develop methodological standards, contract with eligible entities, request public input, and disseminate results to patients and providers. The board of governors will include the director of AHRQ, the director of NIH, and 17 appointed members.

There are two categories of the board of governors for which family physicians could apply. Five positions will represent physicians and providers, including at least one surgeon, nurse, state licensed integrative health care practitioner, and representative of a hospital. One position represents quality improvement or independent health service researchers. Find a more detailed description below.

If you or an AAFP colleague are interested in being nominated and supported by AAFP for this institute, please submit the following information to AAFP by June 7:

• Cover letter expressing your willingness to serve and information on qualifications for the commission;
• A recent CV; and
• Any letters of support from individuals who can speak to qualifications (specific to commission requirements) and national prominence in the field.

Should someone other than the nominee provide this material, we ask that the nominator indicate that the person is willing to be appointed and serve.

Nominations will be reviewed by the chair of the AAFP Board of Directors or its executive committee, which will make a final decision on which names to send forward.  Staff will inform applicants of the decisions and send letters of recommendation by the deadline, which is June 30, 2010.

Individuals not selected to represent AAFP can choose to self-nominate by contacting the specific government body directly. In those cases, the AAFP may wish to send a separate letter of recommendation at the discretion of the AAFP board chair.

We believe it is critical to have a family physician provide a perspective on the new boards and commissions created by the Affordable Care Act. Please e-mail all nomination packets to nominations@aafp.org by Monday, June 7.

Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute and Methodology Committee
 (Sec. 6301/ Sec. 10602)

Duties
A non-profit that is neither a government agency nor establishment of the government is established to help advance the quality and relevance of evidenced based research in helping to treat patients. The Institute will identify research priorities, establish a research project agenda, and assist in carrying out that agenda. The Institute can contract with agencies or private sector entities to assist with this research. Duties of the Institute will include:

• establishing a objective research agenda
• developing research methodological standards
• contract with eligible entities to conduct the research
• ensuring transparency by requesting public input
• disseminating the results to patients and healthcare providers

The Institute may appoint permanent or ad hoc expert advisory panels. One panel is on clinical trials, another is on rare diseases. These panels will assist the Institute in the development and research of the areas assigned. Panelists will include:

• practicing and research clinicians
• patients
• experts in scientific and health science research
• health services delivery
• evidence-based medicine experts
• integrative health and primary prevention strategies experts.

           
Board of Governors Composition
A Board of Governors that will consist of the Director of AHRQ, the Director of NIH, and 17 members appointed by the Comptroller General will govern the Institute. The Comptroller General is required to make these appointments no later than 6 months following the date of enactment, and is seeking nominations until June 30th.

These members will include:

• 3 members representing patients and health care consumers
• 5 members representing physicians and providers including at least 1 surgeon, nurse, state licensed integrative health care practitioner, and representative of a hospital
• 3 members representing private payers, with at least 1 representing health insurance issuers and at least 1 representing employers who self insure employee benefits
• 3 members representing pharmaceutical, device, and diagnostic manufacturers
• 1 member representing quality improvement or independent health service researchers
• 2 members representing the Federal Government or states with at least 1 member representing a Federal health program or agency.

Terms of Service
Members will serve 6 year terms, except for the first members appointed whose terms will be staggered over 2 year increments. No member can serve more than 2 terms. The Comptroller General will select the Chair and Vice Chair from the Board and will serve 3-year terms for each respective position. Members of the Board will be paid at level IV of the Executive Schedule (which was $155,500 in Jan. 2010) while performing duties of the Board. The Board will meet at the call of the Chair.

Methodology Committee
The Institute will establish a methodology committee composed of 15 members appointed by the Comptroller General. Members will include experts in scientific fields like health services research, clinical research, comparative clinical effectiveness research, biostatistics, genomics, and research methodology. The Directors of NIH and AHRQ or designees will also be on the Methodology committee. The committee will work to develop and improve the science and methods of comparative clinical effectiveness research and within 18 months update methodological standards of research. The frequency of meetings or salary for the Methodology committee is not clear at this time.

Dates of Nomination

Initial nominations for the Board of Governors must be made by June 30, 2010. A date for nominations for the Methodology Committee has not been established.