The Harvard Catalyst Provider & Health Systems Research Program helps investigators plan and conduct research based on collaborations with Massachusetts-based health plans, including access to defined populations and data resources; and community practice settings, including practice-based research networks and Harvard-affiliated health care delivery systems.
Provider and Health Systems Research
The Provider & Health Systems Research (P&HSR) Program leverages the unique connection between the Department of Population Medicine (DPM) of Harvard Medical School and the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, as well as DPM's extensive experience using health plan data and populations for research. It also serves as a clearinghouse to link investigators with Harvard-affiliated community practices and health care delivery systems. Finally, it seeks to assist investigators in developing proposals that include state-of-the-art methods for conducting community- and population-based research.
Program Director:
Jonathan Finkelstein, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Population Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Director, DPM Center for Population Health Education
617-509-9898
E-mail
Profile | Website
Program Associate Director:
Emma Eggleston, MD, MPH
Instructor in Population Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Associate Director, DPM Center for Population Health Education
617-509-9925
E-mail
Profile | Website
Program Manager:
Donna Rusinak
Senior Project Manager, Department of Population Medicine
617-509-9922
E-mail
Department of Population Medicine
133 Brookline Avenue, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02215
Consultations for Pilot Grant Applicants
The Provider & Health Systems Consulting Program offers free consultations to investigators applying for Harvard Catalyst Pilot Grants. To provide the best service, the program must receive all Pilot Grant-related consultation requests by February 5.
Research Collaborations Using Health Plan Populations
Health insurance plans are responsible for preventive care and treatment of defined populations, and they have relatively complete information on the services provided (office visits, Emergency Department visits, other utilization) to their enrolled members, including associated diagnoses, medicines dispensed, and procedures (e.g. diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing).
Harvard Medical School's Department of Population Medicine has extensive experience in conducting research using data from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC) and from the HMO Research Network (www.hmoresearchnetwork.org), a consortium of 15 health plans across the country. Many of these 15 health plans are connected with other clinical and translational science centers (CTSCs) nationwide.
Research in Community-Based Practice Settings or Delivery Systems
Harvard has a diverse array of affiliated health care delivery systems and community practice networks that can potentially be engaged in translational research. These include existing practice-based research networks (PBRNs), integrated health care delivery systems, and community health centers and practice groups. These settings may be appropriate for studies that seek to understand patterns of disease or patterns of care from the provider or patient perspective, trials of treatment (or preventive strategies) for individuals or of practice level changes in care. Conducting research in these settings requires the identification of research topics and methods that meet the needs of both investigators and practitioners, as well as the patients they serve.
The P&HSR Program seeks to link and support both investigators and practice settings in productive collaborations that advance translational science and improve medical care.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What kinds of resources are available?
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Consultation on using data elements of health care claims data such as diagnosis, procedure, and drug codes.
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Potential collaborators among DPM investigators on proposals that seek to use HPHC or HMO Research Network data.
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The ability to rapidly query HPHC’s data systems to determine raw counts of patients with particular diagnoses, or receiving particular medications, by age and gender, for use in research proposals for Harvard Catalyst pilot grants and other funding opportunities.
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Information about available practice settings and health care delivery systems open to research collaboration, including topics of interest, and contact information.
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Consultation on research designs and methods that are particularly useful in community practice-based research.
2. Who is eligible to receive consultation?
Consultation is available for investigators in the Harvard University community (postdoctoral fellows and faculty members). NIH eRA Commons identification is a required field on the request form. If you do not have an eRA Commons identification, contact your office of sponsored programs to begin the process to obtain one.
3. What is the cost for consultation?
Consulting services are free to Harvard investigators. Data required for proposal development are available at no charge. Grant-funded studies will need to cover data costs within grant budgets.
4. What kinds of consultation are available?
The consult services available are specific to the type of research being conducted (e.g., research using health plan populations or research in community-based practices or health care settings). These are delineated below:
Research Collaborations Using Health Plan Populations
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Consultation on using data elements of health care claims data such as diagnosis (e.g., DSM-IV), procedure codes (e.g., CPT), or National Drug Codes (NDC). Examples of possible research questions suitable for using health plan data.
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Assistance in identifying collaborators for research proposals that use HPHC or HMO Research Network data to:
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Measure current patterns of care (or variation in care) for specific conditions or populations
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Identify patients with particular diagnoses, singly or in combinations
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Use health plan data to determine outcomes in intervention trials at the patient, provider, or community level
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Rapid queries of HPHC's data systems to determine raw counts, by age and gender, of patients with particular diagnoses or receiving particular medications for use in research proposals for Harvard Catalyst pilot grants and/or other funding vehicles.
Research in Community-Based Practice Settings or Delivery Systems
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Consultation on research methods useful in community practice settings, including:
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Engagement of community practices and clinicians in research
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Patient recruitment
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Study designs, including tests of practice-level interventions in cluster-randomized trials
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Consultation on methods for data extraction and analysis from electronic health records from community practices.
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Development of patient and provider surveys and other patient-report methods in community settings.
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Identifying potentially available practice-based research networks, health care delivery systems, and other practice groups interested in research collaboration. This could include information on the size, location, and interests of these practices; administrative details (e.g., IRB process); and contact information. (PBRN info PDF)
For a complete list of available services, please see the consultation request form.
5. How do I request a consult?
To initiate a consultation, please complete and submit this webform. After your request is submitted, it will be reviewed by the consultation service and you will be contacted to arrange the details of the consultation. In some cases, we may contact you to clarify the nature of your request.
6. I am not sure I need a consult, but I have some questions
Feel free to contact the Provider and Health Systems program (E-mail).