The following programs each have expertise with different types of Type 2 Translational Research. For example, they can provide initial consultation and advice on specific challenges that you may face in developing your research, including but not limited to the choice of study designs, IRB and HIPAA in community settings, data collection methods, and specialized data analysis techniques. Experienced investigators associated with these programs may also be available and interested in collaboration with your project.
Note: For those investigators applying for ICTR Type 2 funding, please choose from among these programs if you have chosen "ICTR-CAP COLLABORATION" as one of the two criteria you are required to comply with for grant eligibility.
Investigators should also be aware of the other research resources available through ICTR, including biostatistical consult and informatics support, inter-institutional cooperation WiNHR and assistance and assistance provided through the ICTR Client Services Center. Please consider a consultation with one of these programs if your research might benefit.
ICTR-CAP Programs
The following programs are summarized as you scroll down the web page, or you can click on their titles to be redirected on the page to the specific information.
- Wisconsin Research and Education Network
- Community Health Connections Program
- Health Innovation Program
- Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety
- Sonderegger Research Center
- Qualitative Research Resource
- Office of Continuing Professional Development
- Simulation Center
The Wisconsin Research and Education Network (WREN) is a statewide, primary care, practice-based research network that seeks to improve health outcomes for the people of Wisconsin through education and through promoting and conducting primary care research in partnership with primary care clinicians and the communities they serve.
Examples of recent WREN research include:
- Proactive Risk Assessment in Primary Care of the Elderly
- Problem Density, Mental Workload and Medical Error in Primary Care Practice
- AZMATICS: AzithroMycin/Asthma Trial in Community Settings
- What are Important Health Issues for Low Literate Adults? A Focus Group Evaluation of Health Literacy Issues
Researchers should consider collaborating with WREN when their research involves: partnerships with multi-site primary care clinicians, practices, and the communities they serve; quality improvement/enhancement, under-served populations
WREN Director
Paul Smith, MD
608.265.4477
The ICTR-CAP Community Health Connections program (formerly Health Extension) was designed to build an information gathering, research facilitation and dissemination network to encourage the engagement of researchers with communities throughout the State of Wisconsin. It is a statewide, regionally-based infrastructure to help promote ideas and community-based projects that will influence Type 2 translational research being done at the University and in communities across the state.
Researchers should consider collaborating with CAP's Community Health Connections program when their research involves: trying to find a community-based partner/collaborator/researcher
Community Health Connections Director
John Frey, MD
608.265.4505
The Health Innovation Program (HIP) supports the development of clinical health services research projects that rely on collaboration with local and statewide health systems. HIP focuses specifically on projects that examine the effectiveness of interventions in practice. HIP also has significant expertise in utilizing local health system data for research purposes.
Examples of recent HIP research include:
- Does omission of recommended components in discharge communication increases risk of poor health outcomes in hip fracture, cancer and stroke patients discharged to sub-acute care settings?
- Do financial incentives to achieve good scores on an employer-sponsored Health Risk Assessment encourage employees to reduce their health risks and lower health care costs over time?
- What factors affect primary care physician adoption of a new technique for colorectal cancer screening?
- Does an intervention to automatically standardize test results for chronic kidney disease increase appropriate nephrology referrals for primary care patients?
- Is tight diabetes control related to increased risk of emergency room visits, hospitalization and/or death for older diabetes patients with co-morbidities?
Researchers should consider collaborating with HIP when their research involves: health care systems, practice improvement interventions, electronic health records, Medicare or other health care claims data, data linking, quasi-experimental designs
HIP Director
Maureen Smith, MD, MPH, PhD
608.262.4802
The Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) supports collaborative patient safety research using human factors and health systems engineering methods and tools. Topics include health information technology, pediatric safety, medication safety, transitions of care, and system redesign and intervention. In addition, SEIPS offers access to a bibliographic patient safety database, a seminar series, and a short course on patient safety. SEIPS also offers a Certificate in Patient Safety through the Graduate School.
Examples of recent SEIPS research include:
- Bar coding technology and patient and employee safety
- Nurses, technologies and medication management: new multidimensional measures of cost and quality
- The value of CPOE (computerized physician order entry) in pediatric inpatient units and its impact on safety and work
- Building and maintaining simultaneous dynamic relationships in a virtual organization: the case of virtual intensive care units
Researchers should consider collaborating with SEIPS when their research involves: the integration of human factors and healthcare systems; health information technology, pediatric safety, medication safety, transitions of care, and system redesign and intervention
Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety Director
Pascale Carayon, PhD
608.263.2520
The UW Pharmacy School's Sonderegger Research Center (SRC) supports studies that target improved decision-making and communication within the patient-clinician encounter, specifically regarding medication use. Audio/visual equipment and software are available for direct observation studies, as well as assistance with human subjects protocols, grant reviews, and dataset documentation.
Examples of recent Sonderegger research include:
- A descriptive study of the health of families in poverty with children under the age of 3 and their access to needed services, including pharmacy related care. A subset of 80 families are being followed for three years to document the influence of policy changes regarding HMO enrollment, Medicare and welfare reform.
- A study estimating the cost of dispensing a prescription and assessing drug acquisition costs in community pharmacies that participate in the Wisconsin Medicaid program. Approximately 600 pharmacies will participate in this study based on the number of Medicaid claims.
- A pilot study to design, implement and evaluate a pharmacy-based smoking cessation program for employees at their work site, drawing on the Transtheoretical Model. Pharmacists working in Roundy's Food Stores offer tobacco cessation programs to 18-24 year old workers as a part of a major statewide initiative to decrease smoking among young adults.
Researchers should consider collaborating with Sonderegger when their research involves: analysis of the patient-provider interface; the organization, delivery, financing, quality and outcomes of pharmacy within the broader health care system; analysis/coding of video-taped interactions
Sonderegger Research Center Director
Betty Chewning, PhD
608.262.5262
The ICTR-CAP Qualitative Research Resource was created to support research that applies qualitative research method design to inquiry.
Researchers could consider consulting with CAP's Qualitative Research Resource when their research involves: selecting the appropriate qualitative method; when and how to use qualitative methods in a mixed methods study; combining qualitative and quantitative research methods, especially as these methods are applied to better understand of the health services field. At this time, this resource is available only for consultation during the proposal or project development stage.
Qualitative Research Program Director
Barb Bowers, PhD, RN
608.263.5189
The Office of Continuing Professional Development, R&D Unit (OCPD R&D) supports studies of educational and organizational interventions to increase adoption of evidence-based clinical practices. OCPD R&D offers consultations and opportunities on collaborative projects.
Examples of recent OCPD research include:
- Identification of barriers and facilitators to improving the quality of care for COPD
Researchers should consider collaborating with OCPD when their research involves: analysis of how teams of physicians function, how an organizational team functions, how physicians learn, how education can be used as an intervention strategy to change practice
OCPD Research & Development Unit Director
Curt Olson, PhD
608.265.8025
The Simulation Center provides expertise and consultation for clinicians and researchers interested in estimating the potential impact of Type 2 translational research using modeling and simulation, developing quantitative decision-analytical models to optimize medical decision making, or using mathematical/computer models for policy-formation in healthcare.
Examples of research conducted by the Simulation Center include:
- The value of CT scanning in the evaluation of suspected pediatric appendicitis
- Evaluation of the "Fistula First" guideline for vascular access in CKD dialysis patients
Researchers should consider collaborating with the Simulation Center when their research involves: mathematical modeling and simulation techniques
Simulation Center Director
Oguz Alagoz, PhD
608.890.0399