Facilitating Emergency Care Research Networks: Integration into the Clinical Translational and Science Award (CTSA) Infrastructure

Abstract

Emergency care research (ECR) does not fit neatly into the traditional National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding model, because emergency research involves undifferentiated disease presentations involving multiple disciplines and time-sensitive interventions. A task force of emergency care researchers and other stakeholders was convened to discuss the present and future state of clinical research networks. Integration of ECR with the Clinical Translational and Science Award (CTSA) program through a multidisciplinary emergency care research network (ECRN) would obviate the duplication of research efforts by disease-specific or institute-specific multicenter networks and reduce startup and maintenance costs. Strategies to enhance integration must include the training of emergency physician investigators in biostatistical and epidemiologic methods, as well as educating collaborative investigators in emergency care-related methodologies. Thus, an ECRN would be of great benefit to CTSA awardees and applicants and should be considered a priority.

Medicina de Emergência na FMRP-USP – Você pode fugir, mas não há como se esconder!

“…Desta forma, passa-se a discutir a interação entre serviços pré-hospitalar, intra-hospitalar e pós-hospitalar, na definição de uma "cascata" de atendimento que tem sido motivo de redefinição de atendimento nos "bolsões" de influência no modelo flexineriano tradiconal vigente. [13][14][15][16] Também deve ser discutida a sistemática de ensino e raciocínio nestas situações em comparação com modelos tradicionais. 17 Por definição, portanto, a Medicina de Emergência passa a ter um caráter contestador e modificador de processo, voltado para o desfecho, discutindo itens como custo-efetividade e risco-benefício de modo muito mais precoce que outras áreas.…”

The 2008 Emergency Care Research Networks (ECRN) Conference: Design, Summary of Findings, and an Update

“…In the third article, Hollander et al 3 explore the advantages, disadvantages, and barriers to integrating emergency care research efforts within the CTSA structure, including the possibility of linking emergency care researchers from institutions with CTSA programs together in a general non-disease-specific network. Advantages of such an effort include benefit to the CTSA enterprise in terms of access to underserved and heterogeneous patient populations, timeliness of experimental interventions, maximization of interdisciplinary collaborations, and opportunities to train future investigators with a focus on emergency care research topics.…”

“…[1][2][3][4] In the first, Courtney et al suggest a consensus definition of emergency care research that acknowledges the diverse patient populations, undifferentiated presentations, and need for timely diagnosis and treatment as characteristics making emergency care research unique. The authors also suggest that growth of emergency care research must extend research endeavors and outcome determination beyond the physical emergency department with respect to time and place.…”

“…[1][2][3][4] The aim of this summary is to outline the structure and content of the conference, highlight key findings, and provide an update on events since the conference related to the federal support of, and focus on, emergency care research.…”

Unique Characteristics of Emergency Care Research: Scope, Populations, and Infrastructure

“…We then explore the critical infrastructure requirements of ECRNs. Related articles, which also appear in this edition of Academic Emergency Medicine, focus more specifically on disease-or population-specific research networks, 11 networked research within the CTSA system, 12 and finally optimal means of evaluating a network focused on ECR. 13 …”