Outcomes and Effectiveness Research
Current Grants
Advancing the Implementation of Medical Device Infrastructure through the Unique Device Identification (UDIs) System: The Roadmap for Implementation of the UDI System
Art Sedrakyan, M.D., Ph.D., PI
Alvin I. Mushlin, M.D., Sc.M., Thomas Campion, PhD, Co-Investigators
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
10/1/2011 – 9/30/2014
The goal of this project is to develop, design, implement, and evaluate postmarket methodologies and infrastructures for medical device regulatory science and surveillance. This grant will allow investigators to develop a national roadmap for Unique Device Identification (UDI) implementation and will support the International Consortium of Orthopedic Registries (ICOR). Both initiatives will assist the FDA in advancing the regulatory science and building national and international device registries to improve medical device safety and effectiveness in the United States.
Bringing High Performing Systems to Small Practices
Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., Subaward PI; Andrew Ryan, Ph.D, M.A, Tara Bishop, M.D., M.P.H., Subaward Co-Investigators (PI: Amanda Parsons, NYC Department of Mental Health and Hygeine)
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
2/1/2011 – 7/31/2012
This grant is a study of a pay for performance program within New York City's Primary Care Information Project (PCIP). It is one of three received by the Division to work with PCIP, which provides technical and financial assistance to aid small primary care practices in disadvantaged areas of the City to obtain electronic medical records and to use them to improve the quality of care.
Center of Excellence in Health Disparities Research
Alvin I. Mushlin, M.D., Sc.M., co-Investigator (Carla Boutin-Foster, M.D., M.S., PI)
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD)
07/25/09 – 05/31/2014
This is an application to establish a Comprehensive Center of Excellence in Disparities Research and Community Engagement (CEDREC) as a consortium between Weill Cornell Medical College, Hunter College School of Nursing-City University of New York, Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, and the Center for Healthful Behavior Change at New York University School of Medicine.
Clinical and Translation Science Award 2007-2012
Alvin I. Mushlin, M.D., Sc.M., Associate Program Director
NIH
Creation of a major innovative initiative/program on medical countermeasures within the Medical Device Epidemiology Network (MDEpiNet)
Art Sedrakyan, M.D., Ph.D., PI
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
09/15/2012 – 09/14/2017
The focus of this U01 grant is to advance the regulatory science and support MDEpiNet academic partnerships through collaborative projects, both within Cornell University through a patient-centered comparative research program and with external partners such as the Brookings Institution and MDEpiNet partners.
Estimating Hospital Outcome Quality: Applications to Pay-for-Performance
Andrew M. Ryan, Ph.D., M.A., PI
Agency of Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)
K01 Mentored Research Scientist Research Career Development Award
07/01/2010– 04/30/2015
This project has the following aims: 1) Develop and test estimators of provider quality, cost, and efficiency outcomes for use in pay-for-performance; 2) Validate quality, cost, and efficiency outcome estimators using existing datasets; 3) Use outcome estimators developed in Specific Aim 1, and other quality measures, to evaluate the effects of the MassHealth Medicaid hospital-based P4P program.
Evaluation of a Shared Panel Management Program in New York City's Primary Care Information Project
Tara Bishop, M.D., M.P.H., PI; Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., Andrew M. Ryan, Ph.D, M.A, Co-Investigators
Commonwealth Fund
12/02/2010 – 12/01/2012
This grant is one of three received by the Division to work with New York City's Primary Care Information Project (PCIP), which provides technical and financial assistance to aid small primary care practices in disadvantaged areas of the City to obtain electronic medical records and to use them to improve the quality of care.
Examining Processes Implemented to Reduce Administrative Costs of Interactions Between Health Care Providers and Insurance Plans
Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., PI; Rainu Kaushal, M.D., M.P.H., Curtis Cole, M.D., Lisa M. Kern, M.D., M.P.H.,Co-Investigators
5/1/12 – 12/31/12
The goal of this project is to conduct interviews and literature review to suggest practical processes that could be used to reduce the very high administrative costs of interactions between health care providers and insurance plans.
Exploring How Small Physician Practices Can Achieve Higher-Quality, Lower-Cost Care
Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., PI
Commonwealth Fund
2011– 2013
Genetics of Risk for Retinopathy Among Qataris with Type 2 Diabetes
Ronald Crystal, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (PI)
Abdulbari Bener, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-Lead PI)
Maha El Shafei, MD, Hamad Medical Corporation (Co-PI)
Alvin Mushlin, MD, ScM, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Co-PI)
Donald D’Amico, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Co-PI)
Hassan Ghomrawi, PhD, MPH, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Co-PI)
Szilard Kiss, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Co-PI)
Qatar National Research Program’s (QNRF) National Priorities Research Fund (NPRP)
12/1/2010 – 11/30/2013
The research team aims to zero in on genetic locations associated with diabetes and find loci associated specifically with diabetic retinopathy—the deterioration of the retina as a symptom of diabetes. Drawing on the most advanced genetic analysis approach, they will evaluate single nucleotide polymorphisms—differences in DNA base pairs that show up as a disruption in expected patterns—among a sample of Qatari subjects. This project is one part of a collaborative effort to analyze diabetes at the genetic level in Qatar.
Genetic Variability and Susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes in the Qatari Population
Ronald Crystal, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (PI)
Laith Abu-Raddad, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-Lead PI)
Abdulbari Bener, PhD, WCMC-Q (Co-PI)
Marcus Butler, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Co-PI)
Alvin Mushlin, MD, ScM, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Co-PI)
Hassan Ghomrawi, PhD, MPH, Weill Cornell Medical College—New York (Co-PI)
Qatar National Research Program’s (QNRF) National Priorities Research Fund (NPRP)
12/1/2010 – 11/30/2013
This study will segregate three—TCF7L2, FTO and CDKN2B—of the 15 known genes associated with type 2 diabetes and, using the information gathered from European populations, compare the functionality of these genes in Qatari diabetics. The drug metformin is a mainstay of therapy among European populations, with its effectiveness among Europeans related in part to another gene, SLC22A1—the functionality of this drug will also be tested among Qatari subjects.
Hospital Employment of Physicians and the Quality of Care for Older Adults
Tara Bishop, M.D., M.P.H.
National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging
K23: Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award
9/30/12 – 8/31/17
This project will examine changes in the organization of physician practices, specifically a potentially emerging trend for hospitals to own physician practices; differences in the use of processes to improve quality in practices that are owned by hospitals versus those that are owned by physicians; differences in the quality of care delivered to older adults by physicians in hospital-owned practices versus physician-owned practices; and physician perception of the barriers of and facilitators for providing high quality care to older adults when a practice changes ownership.
Hospital Readmission and Communication between Home Health Nurses and Physicians
Matthew Press, M.D., M.Sc., Linda Gerber, Ph.D. co-PIs; Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Investigator
Aetna Foundation
01/15/12 – 06/14/2013
The objective of this project is to assess the quality of communication between home health nurses and physicians and determine its association with risk of readmission.
Impact of Discordant Patient-Surgeon Expectations on Joint Arthroplasty Outcomes
Alvin I. Mushlin, M.D., Sc.M., Mentor (Hassan Ghomrawi, Ph.D., M.P.H., PI)
National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
K99/R00 career development award
04/01/09 – 03/31/13
The objective of this grant is to explore the extent and direction of discordance between the patient's and surgeon'' expectations prior to total joint arthroplasty (TJA) surgery and its relationship to postoperative immediate, short-term and long-term outcomes. Findings from this study will help identify subpopulations of patients whose expectations may have a clinically meaningful effect on their outcomes, if they were discordant with those of their surgeons, and feed this information into targeted interventions such as the preoperative educational class so that expectations are realistically achievable. The study will use data from the joint replacement registry of the Weill Cornell Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERT).
Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Assignment Agreement: Senior Medical Advisor , Preparedness Modeling Unit, Health Economics and Modeling Unit, Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Nathaniel Hupert, M.D., M.P.H. PI
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
6/4/2012 – 6/3/2013
Dr. Hupert will lead a number of computational modeling activities at the CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. These will include projects on detection and response to special pathogens such as Bacillus anthracis; resource modeling for public health and medical response to a variety of emergency scenarios; and improved "public health information engineering" for improved logistical capability after detection of disease outbreaks.
K23: Training Grant and Career Development - WMC
Alvin I. Mushlin, M.D., Sc.M., Investigator (Pina Sanelli, M.D., P.I.)
National Institutes of Health
07/01/2008 – 06/30/2013
This K23 award proposes to study the sensitivity and specificity of CT perfusion to provide earlier detection and guide treatment of vasospasm after SAH. The plan focuses on the use of CT perfusion to detect early vasospasm in patients with SAH due to an aneurysm, to compare CTP with other techniques, and to use CTP to guide therapy and improve outcomes.
Primary Care-Oncology Collaboration for Patients with Medical Comorbidities
Matthew Press, M.D., M.Sc., PI
American Cancer Society
Cancer Control Career Development Award for Primary Care Physicians
07/01/2013– 06/30/2016
The objective of the project is to assess the extent and quality of care shared between primary care physicians and oncologists for patients with cancer and other medical conditions.
ProMISS Study: Prospective Modeling of Infection in Spinal Surgery to Explore Strategies for Reducing the Rate of Postoperative Infection for Spinal Surgery
Nathaniel Hupert, M.D., M.P.H., PI
Hospital for Special Surgery
4/1/2012 – 11/30/2012
The Quality Research Center (QRC) at The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is focused on improving patient outcomes from surgery at HSS, and HSS seeks to reduce the rate of post-operative hospital-acquired infection (HAI) among patients undergoing spinal surgery at the hospital. HSS will contract with WCMC for the services of Dr. Nathaniel Hupert to create a computer model to explore strategies for reducing the rate of postoperative infection for spinal surgery. This Project will employ quantitative and qualitative methods to better understand the potential causes of hospital-acquired infection (HAI) for patients undergoing spinal surgery at HSS. The goal of the Project will be to identify promising targets for infection-reduction interventions in the process of care for patients undergoing spinal surgeries. The Project deliverable will be a simulation modeling tool that permits quantitative exploration of the impact of various infection reduction strategies on projected spinal surgery HAI rates.
Transforming Safety-Net Clinics into Patient-Centered Medical Homes
Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Investigator (M. Chin, [PI], University of Chicago)
Commonwealth Fund
11/01/2008 – 1/31/2013
This study will evaluate whether a Commonwealth Fund initiative to help 50 safety net clinics transform themselves into Patient Centered Medical Homes is successful at aiding the transformation. It will include an examination of the factors associated with success or failure at individual clinics. The study will also evaluate whether the initiative results in higher quality, more efficient medical care and enhanced patient satisfaction.
Transforming the Primary Care Team Workday
Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., PI
Matthew Press, M.D., M. Sc., Tara Bishop, M.D., M.P.H., Co-Investigators
Commonwealth Fund
2011– 2013
Recent Grants
Advancing the Methodology of Implantable Device Studies
Art Sedrakyan, MD, PhD, PI
Food and Drug Administration
5/25/2010 – 5/24/2011
Dr. Sedrakyan provided
methodological and comparative research expertise to FDA’s Division of Epidemiology for assessment of safety and effectiveness of medical devices in the post-market setting.
Analysis of US Healthcare System Response to 2009 H1N1
Nathaniel Hupert, M.D., M.P.H. PI
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR)
11/1/2010 – 3/31/2011
Dr. Hupert served as a quantitative analysis desgn leader in determining the US Healthcare system strain during the response to the 2009 H1N1; this information will be crucial to strategically guide preparedness for future outbreaks.
Anonymous Linking of Distributed Database Environment
Alvin I. Mushlin, M.D., Sc.M., PI
FDA/Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
10/10/10 – 9/30/2012
The study supports the FDA’s Sentinel Initiative to create and evaluate methods for active surveillance of the safety of marketed medical products via developing and testing new methods for matching data from a device registry with insurance claims information.
CERT for Conducting Research in Medical Devices
Alvin I. Mushlin, M.D., Sc.M., PI
Agency of Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)
04/01/06 – 09/31/2011
The Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERTs) is a research program administered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), in consultation with the Food and Drug Administration, agencies within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The mission of the CERTs is to conduct research and provide education that will advance the optimal use of drugs, medical devices, and biological products. The Weill Cornell CERT is based both in the Medical College's Department of Public Health and in the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS). Its research projects focus on the outcomes and cost-effectiveness of medical and orthopedic devices.
Clinical & Translational Science Center Supplement
Alvin I. Mushlin, M.D., Sc.M., Investigator (Julianne Imperato-McGinley, M.D., P.I.)
National Center for Research Resources/National Institutes of Health
09/01/10 – 08/31/11
The supplement will fund mentored research projects in comparative effectiveness research (CER) for two new fellows to be drawn from the K30 Masters Program in Clinical Investigation. It will also fund the development and implementation of three new courses for the Clinical Investigation program which will focus on CER.
Development and Evaluation of a Web-Based Decision Aid for Screening Mammography
Alvin I. Mushlin, M.D., Sc.M., co-Investigator (Elena Elkin, Ph.D., Margaret Polaneczky, MD, co-PIs)
Weill Cornell CTSC/National Center for Research Resources/NIH
6/1/2010-5/31/2011
The grant will support the development and pilot evaluation of a web-based decision support tool to facilitate informed, shared decision-making for women in their 40s.
Identifying Physician Practice Communities and their Impact on the Quality and Cost of Care
Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., PI; Andrew M. Ryan, Ph.D, M.A, Co-Investigator
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
10/15/11 – 4/13/12
The goal of this project is to apply social network analysis to Medicare claims data to identify physician referral networks. Determine the characteristics of these networks and analyze their associations with the cost and quality of care.
Inaugural Director of the CDC's new Preparedness Modeling Unit
Nathaniel Hupert, M.D., M.P.H. PI
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
09/02/2008 – 03/31/2012
This initiative supports, coordinates, and leads preparedness modeling activities throughout the CDC. The PI will provide substantial assistance to senior scientists within the CDC and the assignment will provide him with access to resources which will allow him to further develop and enhance skills as a researcher and practitioner of "computational public health."
K30: Clinical Research Curriculum Award - WMC
Alvin I. Mushlin, M.D., Sc.M., Investigator (Julianne Imperato-McGinley, M.D., P.I.)
National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
09/19/2005 – 08/31/2010
The overall goal of the K30:Clinical Research Curriculum Award - WMC is to train patient-oriented researchers to conceive, design and conduct independent clinical research in a well-structured cross-disciplinary team environment. The primary objective is to provide the fundamental skills of clinical research and an understanding of the complex issues associated with conducting such research.
Medical Device Study
Art Sedrakyan, MD, PhD, Subaward PI (In collaboration with Harvard Medical School)
Food and Drug Administration
9/17/2010 – 3/16/2011
Dr. Sedrakyan evaluated the safety and effectiveness of cardiac implants using an innovative evidence synthesis.
Medical Groups, Pay for Performance, and Disparities in Health Care
Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., PI
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
04/01/2009 – 09/30/2010
The project goals are to provide specific knowledge of quantitative and qualitative methodologies for studying and affecting organizational change.
National Study of Physician Organizations and the Management of Chronic Illness II
Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Investigator (Stephen Shortell, Ph.D. [PI], University of California at Berkeley)
Commonwealth Fund
11/01/2008 – 04/30/2010
Dr. Casalino’s focus in this project is the conceptualization and development of site visit materials; the site visits themselves; and the analysis of the data and reporting of the results from the site visits.
National Study of Small and Medium-Sized Physician Practices
Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., PI
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
02/15/2007 – 02/28/2010
This study will develop a national sampling frame for studying medical practices of 1-19 physicians, including a 40 minute telephone survey with the medical director, lead physician, or CEO/president of each practice. It will analyze the small practice survey data and link it to Medicare claims data and conduct analyses of the relationships of practice structure and processes to quality and costs.
Prospective evaluation of the clinical and economic outcomes of total joint replacement: The CERT joint replacement registry
Alvin I. Mushlin, M.D., Sc.M., Co-PI (with Thomas Sculco, M.D., HSS)
Agency of Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)
04/01/2006 – 09/31/2011
Establishing and analyzing the CERT joint replacement registry is the main project of the Weill Cornell CERT program on medical devices. The aim of the joint registry is to build a comprehensive database of information on all aspects of the total joint replacement experience. This project is a collaborative effort between Weill Cornell Medical College and the Hospital for Special Surgery.
Reducing Re-Hospitalizations: A Proposal from the Institute of Healthcare Improvement
Matthew Press, M.D., M.Sc., Subaward PI (In collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania)
The Commonwealth Fund
1/1/2011 – 7/31/2011
The goal of this subaward from the University of Pennsylvania is to reduce avoidable rehospitalizations in a group of states by engaging providers across the continuum of care in improving practice, and by identifying and addressing systemic barriers through policy recommendations and other solutions.
Understanding Why Some Physician Organizations Excel at Chronic Disease Management
Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Investigator (Stephen Shortell, Ph.D. [PI], University of California at Berkeley)
Commonwealth Fund
11/01/2008 – 09/30/2010
For his subcontract, Dr. Casalino will conceptualized and developed site visit materials and analyze data and report results from site visits.
Using EHRs and Technical Assistance to Improve Quality in Small Practices Caring for Disadvantaged Populations
Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., Andrew Ryan, Ph.D, M.A, Co-PIs; Tara Bishop, M.D., M.P.H., Co-Investigator
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
11/01/2010 – 4/30/2012
This grant is one of three received by the Division to work with New York City's Primary Care Information Project (PCIP), which provides technical and financial assistance to aid small primary care practices in disadvantaged areas of the City to obtain electronic medical records and to use them to improve the quality of care.
