PCORI’s 4th Annual Meeting “From Evidence to IMPACT Putting What Works into Action”

Post submitted by patient co-investigators, Katina Lang-Lindsey, PhD, LMSW. 
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​On Oct 31- November 2, 2019, I and another PREPARE NOW team member attended the Fourth Annual PCORI Conference at the Wardman Park Marriott, Washington, DC. The conference included well over 1,000 patients, caregivers, researchers, clinicians, and other healthcare stakeholders.
 
The theme this year included, "From Evidence to Impact: Putting What Works into Action". This year featured several workshops and plenaries on what patient-centered outcomes research look like in the field? How do patients and other stakeholders engage in studies? These stories provided insight into the workings of projects funded by PCORI. I heard from researchers describing their partnerships with patients as stakeholders. I learned how innovative research impact and make a difference for patients, caregivers, clinicians, researchers and the healthcare community as a whole.
 
I was privileged to attend a meeting about how telehealth can improve patient care outcomes. The session spot lighted two different projects with positive findings relevant to mental illness and skin disease. Among other workshops, I attended a workshop about prevention to risk mitigation and treatment for opioid use disorders, which I believe to be a timely discussion regarding the opioid epidemic in America to date. 
 
Finally, I became an Ambassador while attending the conference and was able to meet with other Ambassadors. I was able to network and exchange contact information for further discussions about patient engagement. In fact, a few Ambassadors and I founded a patient engagement group referred to as “Engagement Buddies for CER & PCOR” where patients and caregivers can network. I met and became friends with people from different parts of the United States. Everyone sitting around the table were Ambassadors and I was honored to meet them at this conference.

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