ECRI Institute has received a three-year contract to establish and operate a new healthcare horizon scanning system for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). The Health Care Horizon Scanning System will help patients, clinicians, researchers, payers, and policymakers identify at an early stage new therapeutics and healthcare technologies that have the potential to be disruptive.
Initially, the focus will be on interventions for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, cancer, cardiovascular conditions, mental and behavioral health conditions, and rare diseases. PCORI may choose to add additional clinical areas for horizon scanning in the future.
“Every day, we hear about new technologies that may lead to breakthroughs in medical science and patient care,” says Karen Schoelles, MD, SM, FACP, vice president for clinical excellence and safety at ECRI Institute. “We are excited to provide insights to help PCORI understand the need for future comparative effectiveness research and help other stakeholders plan for disruptive change.”
ECRI Institute will use advanced search methodology to identify, track, monitor, and evaluate healthcare interventions in research and development up to three years before they are expected to enter routine clinical care. Additionally, clinicians, health systems administrators, researchers, patients, and caregivers will be asked to contribute their perspectives. Such perspectives will then help ECRI Institute officials assess the potential for these interventions to improve patient care and the health are delivery processes, as well as reduce the cost of care in the United States.
