Team Grant: SPOR iCT Rewarding Success – Phase 3

Well-being, Health and Biomedical Discovery

Deadlines

Academic Unit: Inquire with unit

Memorial Deadline: Monday 7th, January 2019

External Deadline: Thursday 10th, January 2019

Description

The multi-year iCT Rewarding Success Team Grants is Phase 3 of the iCT Rewarding Success Initiative. It will focus on the implementation and evaluation of programs/interventions to improve value in a healthcare delivery setting as defined and outlined in the Rewarding Success Idea Briefs (Phase 1) and negotiated in the Business Case Development Grants (Phase 2).

Visit ResearchNet for full program Details.

The Rewarding Success Team Grants encompass four components:

1. Implementation of the program/intervention using innovative clinical trial methodology
2. Continuous evaluation of the program/intervention and monitoring of agreed-upon outcomes
3. Independent auditing processes to verify that outcomes have/have not been achieved per the funding agreement(s)
4. Execution of a funding agreement which rewards the achievement of agreed-upon targets

The following elements must be adressed to meet SPOR requirements and the aformentioned four components of the funding opportunity:

• The proposed research activities must be patient-oriented in that:
  • the work is conducted by a multidisciplinary team that engages patients as partners;
  • the aim is to improve patient outcomes and experience, and to apply the knowledge generated to improve healthcare systems and practices;
  • patient priorities are incorporated whenever possible throughout the research program; and
  • there is involvement of other SPOR stakeholders such as policy makers, health care professionals, health care organizations, and health charities.
• The proposed research must be conducted using an iCT design (described previously) that, compared to traditional RCT approaches, should result in:
  • a reduction in the time required to conduct a trial;
  • a reduction in the cost of conducting a trial; and
  • the relevance of research findings to patients, healthcare providers and/or policy makers.
• Applicants must focus on comparative effectiveness research; and/or implementation science research as defined previously.
  • If the focus includes comparative effectiveness research, it must:
    • compare at least two health care options;
    • compare options already shown to be efficacious; and
    • compare effectiveness, benefits as well as harm of different health care options in order to inform health care decisions.
  • If the focus includes implementation science research, it must:
    • examine an intervention which has proven to be effective within a certain context;
    • apply the intervention to different or broader contexts; and
    • address factors of implementation such as affordability, adaptability, scalability and sustainability.
• The funding agreement(s) must include the following:
  • Intended outcomes
    • The target population that will qualify for the intervention/program and the outcomes that will be measured;
    • Intended outcomes upon which a success payment will be paid; and
    • The metrics and methodologies that will be used to measure these outcomes.
  • Payments
    • The value to be paid by the payer upon the achievement of agreed-upon targets;
    • Agreement regarding the financial analysis methodology to determine return on investment. Note that a portion of the the pay-back must be in cash; and
    • The method and timelines of payment.
  • Independent auditing process
    • The research team and the payer(s)’s agreement on the independent auditing process.
• The independent auditing process and associated methodology must include the following:
  • Description of the independent audit team and their role;
  • Description of the independent auditing process and how it will verify outcome measures and ensure that all outcomes are being measured in a fair and unbiased way (including any methodology that will be used); and
  • Risks and mitigation strategies.

Working with other SPOR-funded entities

Applicants to this funding opportunity are required to work with the SPOR SUPPORT Units in building their applications. Successful applicants are encouraged to engage, when appropriate and possible, with other SPOR-funded entities to strengthen collaboration and maximize usage of available resources.

More information on the iCT Rewarding Success Initiative can be found in the Additional Information section.

Funds Available

CIHR and partner(s) financial contributions for this initiative are subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR or partner(s) funding levels not be available or are decreased due to unforeseen circumstances, CIHR and partner(s) reserve the right to reduce, defer or suspend financial contributions to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.

• The total amount available from CIHR for this funding opportunity is $12,000,000, enough to fund approximately five grants. The maximum amount per grant is $600,000 per year for up to four years for a total of $2,400,000.
• Of this $12,000,000:
  • $ 9,600,000 is available to fund one application in each participating province (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador)
  • $ 2,400,000 is available to fund the next top-ranked application (from any participating province)
• Applicants must secure partner contribution from non-federal sources to match the CIHR contribution at a minimum of 1:1 ratio.
  • Note that federal sources of funds will be accepted within the context of research being done with Indigenous communities. The amount of matching funding from the federal source must be directed towards and commensurate with the proportion of Indigenous-focused research (for example, if 50% of the research is being conducted with Indigenous communities, then 50% of the matched funding can be from a federal source)

Funding Sources

Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR)