Summer 2018
In this issue
Dear Ambassadors,
Welcome to the summer edition of the PCORI Ambassador program quarterly newsletter!
First, we would like to remind you that there is only one more week to apply for the Ambassador scholarship opportunity to attend the 2018 PCORI Annual Meeting scheduled on October 30 - November 2 in Washington, DC.  We recognize that Ambassadors offer valuable perspectives and expertise to contribute to the PCORI Annual Meeting as well as the future of the Ambassador program. We are accepting applications through August 15, 2018. 
In addition, this issue features updates on the Ambassador program, general PCORI organizational updates, and other announcements.
The Ambassador Program Team
(Krista Woodward and Meghan Berman)

What's New
Ambassador Webinar " Coffee Break " Series
The Ambassador program has officially kicked off its Coffee Break series! Coffee Breaks are 20-minute webinars that provide brief program updates and Ambassador spotlights. The series aims to offer peer learning opportunities and to highlight new aspects of the Ambassador program. 
To date, there have been three Coffee Break webinars. The first one was hosted by PCORI staff and focused on the Ambassador program redesign.
The second was hosted by Libby Hoy, a PCORI Ambassador. She shared information and lessons learned from her recent partnership with Quality Improvement Organizations within the Quality Innovation Network (QIN-QIOs). She also shared insights about her journey as an Ambassador, and how these roles are associated with the advancement of PCOR.
The third Coffee Break was hosted by Brendaly Rodriguez, an Ambassador and member of the Patient Engagement Advisory Panel (PEAP). Brendaly discussed her PCOR initiatives with the University of Miami and Florida Community Health Worker Coalition as well as her connections to PCORI. Brendaly also shared how her professional endeavors and Ambassador Program membership are contributing to the advancement of PCOR more broadly.

If you would like to host a Coffee Break, please contact the Ambassador program team at ambassadors@pcori.org . Archived recordings of previous Coffee Break webinars can be found on Yammer and will soon be archived on the PCORI website.
Coming Soon
Updates to the Ambassador Program Section of the PCORI Website
PCORI is working to update the Ambassador program section of the website to reflect changes to the program, such as the updated mission, vision, and objectives, more focused directives for getting involved, clarification of the role, and a resource directory. Updates to the website should begin rolling out within the next month.
The Ambassador Center
In tandem with updating the website, the Ambassador program team is also developing the Ambassador Center. This will be a networking tool that will connect users to Ambassadors through a targeted search function. This tool will allow users to find Ambassadors based on targeted criteria, such as state, stakeholder type, research experience, and subject matter expertise. Users of this tool will also be able to search for Ambassadors by name and affiliated organization. The Ambassador Center will be publicly available on PCORI's website. We hope that this tool will help connect Ambassadors within the community as well as to PCOR researchers and organizations. 
Please keep an eye out for a survey from the Ambassador program team to collect updated information for the Ambassador Center.
Ambassador Program Training Updates
PCORI is excited to announce that our training team has signed a contract with TrainSmart to help update the Ambassador program training. Updates to the training will better prepare individuals for their new role as PCORI Ambassadors by detailing program components and explaining how the Ambassador program supports PCORI's broader vision and mission. 
The training will ensure Ambassadors have content expertise as well as actionable ideas to effectively communicate and disseminate relevant and accurate information. Additionally, the updated training will no longer have a mandatory final exam. Rather, new Ambassadors will be prompted to answer a series of knowledge checks after each module with learning opportunities sprinkled throughout the training. 
The updated training should be available for all Ambassadors by the end of October. We encourage seasoned Ambassadors to complete the new training to ensure everyone is aware of programmatic changes.
PEAP Ambassador Subcommittee & Future Program Activities
PCORI staff continue to work closely with a subcommittee of the Patient Engagement Advisory Panel (PEAP) to help inform the redesign of the Ambassador program. The committee has been meeting monthly via teleconference since August 2017 to discuss the program's objectives, priorities, and activities. Below you will find a list of activities that we hope to implement in the upcoming year that have been supported and informed by the PEAP:
  • Updates to the Ambassador Program Section of the PCORI Website
  • Enhanced Ambassador Orientation Video and Training
  • New Communication Platform
  • Community-Based Promotion & Capacity Building Toolkit
  • Ambassador Speakers Bureau
  • Annual Meeting Workshop: Community-Based Promotion & Local Capacity Building Focus

Many thanks to the PEAP Ambassador subcommittee members (pictured below) for all their thoughtful contributions and commitment to the Ambassador program!

Pictured from left to right: Meghan Berman, Freddie White-Johnson, Thomas Scheid, Jimmy Lin, Sonya Ballentine, Norah Schwartz, Philip Posner, and Krista Woodward

Policy Update
Earlier this summer, PCORI cohosted a successful Congressional briefing with Research!America, the National Hispanic Medical Association, and the National Medical Association. The focus of the briefing was  " Overcoming the Gaps in the Treatment of Mental Illness: The Role of Patient-Centered Research." The briefing was well attended, including representatives from advocacy organizations and staff from key Congressional offices. You can read more about the briefing  here.
This event is an example of PCORI's ongoing efforts to increase awareness of PCORI and the research we support among Congressional staff and key stakeholders. As PCORI heads into 2019 and our reauthorization deadline, policy makers are becoming more aware of the importance of the research we fund, the potential impact of our results, and the need for continued funding. PCORI will continue building on our work to highlight our research portfolios, such as research focused on the management of chronic pain and opioid use, and showcase the potential impact of our research results. As evidence of the value and success of PCORI, a growing number of bipartisan Senators and Representatives are engaging with patient and stakeholder advocates in efforts to support PCORI's upcoming reauthorization.

Pictured from left to right: 
Patrick Corrigan, PsyD , Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology;  Marilyn Perez-Aviles ,  Research Assistant, Illinois Institute of Technology, patient partner, and PCORI Ambassador; Alfiee Breland-Noble, PhD, MHSc,Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Georgetown University Medical Center; Sonya Ballentine, Project Manager, Illinois Institute of Technology College of Psychology, and PCORI Ambassador; Elena Rios, MD,MSPH, FACP, President and CEO, National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), and PCORI Ambassador.
Not pictured: Moderator: Andrew Sperling, Director, Legislative Advocacy, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Opening Remarks:  Representative Raul Ruiz  (D-CA).

-- Andrew Hu,  Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs

PCORI Updates
Ambassador Program Scholarship for the PCORI Annual Meeting
PCORI is pleased to offer scholarships for PCORI Ambassadors to attend the 2018 PCORI Annual Meeting and Ambassador workshop. This is a competitive opportunity that   will award up to 85 scholarships to Ambassadors.   Scholarships will cover the recipient ' s travel, hotel, and per diem allowance for both the applicant and the caregiver (if medically required). Ambassadors who do not receive a scholarship are still welcome to attend the Ambassador workshop and Annual Meeting but will be responsible for their own accommodations. The Ambassador workshop and Annual Meeting plenaries will be webcast for those who cannot attend. Please contact the Ambassador team if you would like to participate remotely. Please note that there will be no conference registration fee.
Note: PCORI is also offering a separate scholarship opportunity for patients, caregivers, and patient representatives. We encourage you to apply for the Ambassador program scholarship.

Ambassador Workshop at the PCORI Annual Meeting
Before the Annual Meeting begins, PCORI will host an Ambassador workshop on October 30, 2018, starting at 12 pm. The overarching theme for the workshop is that Ambassadors are community connectors who bridge their communities to PCOR and PCORI. The workshop will focus on partnership building, community outreach, and communication strategies in service of PCOR. Specifically, the workshop will focus on equipping Ambassadors with the knowledge and skills needed to develop and lead dissemination campaigns in their own communities. The workshop will be much more "hands-on" with breakout activities and networking opportunities this year. We are excited for Ambassadors to brainstorm ways in which they can get the word out about PCOR and PCORI in their community. Scholarship recipients are invited, but not required, to attend the preconference workshop.

Open Funding Opportunities
A comprehensive list of open funding opportunities can be found on PCORI's website . Full proposals are due starting in late August.
Upcoming Funding Opportunities
A comprehensive list of upcoming Cycle 3 2018 funding opportunities can be found on PCORI's website . LOIs are due in early November. Pass them along to your network!
Call for Peer Reviewers
PCORI Peer Review is seeking patients and stakeholders to review for upcoming PCORI-funded research studies that have reached completion. Reviewers who have had, or have considered, bariatric surgery are currently needed. Additionally, those who identify as African American and/or Latino who are living with asthma or serve as a caretaker for an older adult with asthma are also needed. Our goal is to engage the broader healthcare community in a peer-review process that assesses research through the lens of scientific integrity and credibility, but also relevance and usefulness, which is why your participation is vital! 
If you ' re interested or know someone who is interested in participating in this capacity, please contact Kira Lesley with the Editorial Office for PCORI Peer Review at lesley@ohsu.edu. For additional information on becoming a PCORI Peer Reviewer, please visit our website.

Meet the Team
Krista Woodward, MPH, MSW, is a Senior Program Associate at PCORI and manages the Ambassador program while also supporting research portfolio management and evaluation efforts.
Meghan Berman, MPH is a Program Associate at PCORI. She helps support the Ambassador program and manages the advisory panel process from outreach to review of applicants to onboarding.

Stay in Touch
What else would you like to see in this newsletter? If you have input on content, or would like to contribute to next quarter ' s newsletter, please contact Meghan Berman before 9/3/18, at ambassadors@pcori.org .
If you wish to change the email address that receives this newsletter, please contact us at ambassadors@pcori.org .

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