Promoting Embedded Research in a Learning Health System

Johns Hopkins University proposes to create PERLHS: Promoting Embedded Research in a Learning Health System. We aim to prepare embedded investigators to apply rigorous methods to generate and disseminate actionable knowledge. In this proposal, we describe our plans to train investigators in comparative effectiveness research and patient-centered outcomes research (CER/PCOR) in service to a learning health system (LHS). We will expressly engage three distinct populations of embedded researchers for training: clinical investigators embedded within the precision-medicine initiatives of Johns Hopkins, investigators embedded within the operational functions of the Johns Hopkins Health System, and investigators embedded in entities working to advance population health across Maryland. Training these diverse investigators gives us the opportunity to extend the impact of PERLHS outside of the academic institution to other settings that will beneϐit from having trained embedded researchers. Our training model will focus on building these researchers’ CER/PCOR skills by engaging them in a longitudinal training program modeled after the Leadership Academy of the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality at Johns Hopkins. Our training program will be an 11-month experience for the scholars during which time they will engage in asynchronous didactic learning, participate in monthly small-group workshops as a cohort of scholars, and complete a project to fulϐill a need of their sponsoring entity closely supervised by a PERLHS mentor who will assist with design, analysis, and access to resources. We will develop an Administrative Core, a Research Education Core, and a Research Data and Analysis Core to meet the learning needs of the 10 scholars plus one post-doctoral fellow that we will enroll annually. We will evaluate the individual scholars and conduct a formative program evaluation annually with the help of our diverse advisory board. We will work towards a sustainable program by the end of the award where the teaching and mentoring is supported by tuition remission dollars for our faculty and staff, and scholarship funds for our external learners.