UConn Designated as Federal Health Care Study Center

[jostar1]

At the University of Connecticut, a multidisciplinary team lead by two veteran pharmaceutical researchers is stepping up to help health care professionals make more informed decisions by sifting through the latest research in order to recommend the best treatment options based on a strict analysis of the scientific evidence.

In recognition of the team’s clinical expertise, UConn was recently awarded a 5-year contract to serve as one of 13 Evidence-based Practice Centers supported by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The designation is highly competitive and only a select few institutions are given the honor. Some of the other centers currently operating in the U.S. are overseen by Duke University, Brown University, Johns Hopkins University, and the Mayo Clinic.

http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2015/02/uconn-designated-as-federal-health-care-study-center/

The current EPCs are located at:

• Brown University.
• Duke University.
• ECRI Institute—Penn Medicine.
• Johns Hopkins University.
• Kaiser Permanente Research Affiliates.
• Mayo Clinic.
• Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center.
• Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center—Oregon Health and Science University.
• RTI International—University of North Carolina.
• Southern California.
• University of Alberta.
• University of Connecticut.
• Vanderbilt University.

 

[jostar1]

Just for the heck of it I went through that list as regards AAU membership:

•Brown University. AAU

•Duke University. AAU

•ECRI Institute—Penn Medicine. N/A not a university

•Johns Hopkins University. AAU

•Kaiser Permanente Research Affiliates. N/A not a university

•Mayo Clinic. N/A not a university

•Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center. AAU

•Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center—Oregon Health and Science University. Not AAU

•RTI International—University of North Carolina. AAU

•Southern California. AAU

•University of Alberta. N/A Canada Not Eligible for AAU

•University of Connecticut. Not AAU

•Vanderbilt University. AAU

 

[CL82]

Just for the heck of it I went through that list as regards AAU membership:

•Brown University. AAU

•Duke University. AAU

•ECRI Institute—Penn Medicine. N/A not a university

•Johns Hopkins University. AAU

•Kaiser Permanente Research Affiliates. N/A not a university

•Mayo Clinic. N/A not a university

•Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center. AAU

•Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center—Oregon Health and Science University. Not AAU

•RTI International—University of North Carolina. AAU

•Southern California. AAU

•University of Alberta. N/A Canada Not Eligible for AAU

•University of Connecticut. Not AAU

•Vanderbilt University. AAU

Wow. @upstater Does this materially impact our AAU candidate profile or membership probabilites?

 

[specialisthusky]

This can't be anything but great news. The investment is starting to pay off it seems

 

[upstater]

Wow. @upstater Does this materially impact our AAU candidate profile or membership probabilites?

Depends on what they mean by awarded. and by whom. If it's a political decision, it's not as significant. But if this is going to be a building and program that routinely wins grants, then yes it will help. There's no mention of the scope and money involved in this project.


Other unknowns:
There may be a chance that the AAU is changing its metrics, because Congress has stopped funding research at the levels it used to. We used to be tops in the world. But maybe it's time for China to fund research instead. So, maybe the AAU is going to change from looking at peer-reviewed research grants to more direct sources of funding. I don't know anything about that really, but since funding is way down for research, it makes sense that the AAU would begin thinking of other ways to judge research levels.

 

[Dooley]

You know you're chin deep in CR when you see something like this and get equally as excited as you would for any UCONN win.

 

[MattMang23]

With our luck we will be invited to the conference the University of Alberta is in and not the conference of which all members are in the AAU.

 

[primus74]

I'm a UConn pharmacy graduate. C. Michael White is the smartest guy that I've ever met. UConn is lucky to have him. One thing though, there are at least 2 AAU schools from Canada that I can think of off the top of my head, U. of Toronto and McGill, so University of Alberta is definitely AAU eligible.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Just for the heck of it I went through that list as regards AAU membership:

•Brown University. AAU

•Duke University. AAU

•ECRI Institute—Penn Medicine. N/A not a university

•Johns Hopkins University. AAU

•Kaiser Permanente Research Affiliates. N/A not a university

•Mayo Clinic. N/A not a university

•Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center. AAU

•Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center—Oregon Health and Science University. Not AAU

•RTI International—University of North Carolina. AAU

•Southern California. AAU

•University of Alberta. N/A Canada Not Eligible for AAU

•University of Connecticut. Not AAU

•Vanderbilt University. AAU

Oregon does not need AAU when it has Phil Knight handing its medical school $100 million.

 

[Rumrunner]

UCONN has held this designation for quite some time.

What's a bit disconcerting on a more important metric is that fed research dollars dropped off at UCONN last year. Other ostensible peers have seen increases. Hard to make a compelling case to the powers to be at the AAU that UCONN belongs when crap like that happens.

 

[specialisthusky]

Where have you seen the numbers dropping? Most releases are at least 2 to 3 years behind giving numbers before the state committed to the investment. Nowhere that I've read shows anything but positive developments in the last two years. Got a link?

 

[Rumrunner]

FY 2013 report released last week.

http://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/herd/2013/

In thousands:
2004 $215,098
2005 $223,192
2006 $225,274
2007 $233,774
2008 $233,246
2009 $232,944
2010 $237,908
2011 $253,792
2012 $256,854
2013 $242,251

For perspective, FSU went from 2012 $225 million to 2013 $250 million. Nebraska $253 million to $266 million. Iowa State $260 million to $266 million. Out of the top 100 schools, 2/3rds saw year over year increases.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

FY 2013 report released last week.

http://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/herd/2013/

In thousands:
2004 $215,098
2005 $223,192
2006 $225,274
2007 $233,774
2008 $233,246
2009 $232,944
2010 $237,908
2011 $253,792
2012 $256,854
2013 $242,251

For perspective, FSU went from 2012 $225 million to 2013 $250 million. Nebraska $253 million to $266 million. Iowa State $260 million to $266 million. Out of the top 100 schools, 2/3rds saw year over year increases.

Focusing on the most recent year isn't the most constructive approach to draw conclusions. Using all ten years, there is a strong positive correlation of .89 between year and $$. I have no idea what other universities experienced so a .89 might not be great at all. Also, a positive trend doesn't say anything at all about the importance of the trend, just that it's positive. If we started at a million dollars in 2004 and increased our commitment by a penny every year we'd have a perfect correlation but at the end of the decade we'd only be at a million dollars and 9 cents.

 

[dayooper]

Oregon does not need AAU when it has Phil Knight handing its medical school $100 million.

The University of Oregon is AAU. The joined in 1969. Not sure if the school listed is part of that or a different entity.

 

[CAHUSKY]

The University of Oregon is AAU. The joined in 1969. Not sure if the school listed is part of that or a different entity.

Different university

 

[itgoeslike]

The University of Oregon is AAU. The joined in 1969. Not sure if the school listed is part of that or a different entity.

Oregon is bringing up the rear in AAU and rumored to be going the way of Syracuse and Nebraska. They are currently listed at number 151.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

•ECRI Institute—Penn Medicine. N/A not a university

Last checked, Penn Medicine remains part of The University of Pennsylvania. Some flaky undergrad alumni perhaps, but still a fairly decent university and an AAU member.

 

[jostar1]

Last checked, Penn Medicine remains part of The University of Pennsylvania. Some flaky undergrad alumni perhaps, but still a fairly decent university and an AAU member.

OK I checked in to that. ECRI and Penn Medicine (part of PSU) are individual organizations, but Penn Medicine established a partnership with ECRI to win the Evidenced-Based Practice Center desigation. So yes on the list above they should be shown as AAU. The list looks even better! Thanks.

 

[upstater]

Those numbers are a little off since they count hospital operations as R&D, as at U. South Florida, which is way up there. But for their hospital, those aren't peer reviewed grants. Which is how the AAU slices and dices these numbers.

Mr. Nike gave $100 million for Oregon's Med. School. Huge chunk of change. On the other hand, Syracuse's annual haul of research funds has dropped by over 30% since leaving the AAU. Yikes!!!!!

 

[jostar1]

Also found this story:

"This is a designation only afforded to a select few universities in the United States, will generate substantial funding for researchers, and raises the national visibility of University of Connecticut.

Our research group has been doing this type of work for over 15 years but based on investments that the taxpayers made in NextGen CT and Bioscience CT, we were able to bring in and retain the very best faculty and compete for this major designation. We join an elite group of only 11 universities across North America including John’s Hopkins, Vanderbilt, and Brown who have these premier evidence synthesis groups."


http://foxct.com/2014/12/11/uconn-receives-select-designation-for-healthcare-research/

 

[dayooper]

Another reason why UConn would be a great addition!

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

OK I checked in to that. ECRI and Penn Medicine (part of PSU) are individual organizations, but Penn Medicine established a partnership with ECRI to win the Evidenced-Based Practice Center desigation.

No dog in any fight, but neither Penn Medicine nor ECRI are part of Penn State University. All good as both private Penn and public Penn State are each AAU member institutions. However, ECRI is associated with Penn Medicine which includes The University of Pennsylvania Perleman School of Medicine, the oldest U.S. medical school, Penn's hospitals, including the country's oldest, etc.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Also found this story:
http://foxct.com/2014/12/11/uconn-receives-select-designation-for-healthcare-research/

Dr. White has the rare combination of a scorching intellect and terrific presentation skills. He's a hell of a spokesman for the university.

 

[CL82]

Those numbers are a little off since they count hospital operations as R&D, as at U. South Florida, which is way up there. But for their hospital, those aren't peer reviewed grants. Which is how the AAU slices and dices these numbers.

Mr. Nike gave $100 million for Oregon's Med. School. Huge chunk of change. On the other hand, Syracuse's annual haul of research funds has dropped by over 30% since leaving the AAU. Yikes!!!!!

Interesting. In your opinion was that a result of leaving, or did the AAU spot the trendline causing them to vote 'cuse off the island.

 

[upstater]

Interesting. In your opinion was that a result of leaving, or did the AAU spot the trendline causing them to vote 'cuse off the island.

It happened after Syracuse left. Syracuse was well below other schools already.