The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded nearly $15.5 million to Indiana University School of Medicine and Regenstrief Institute to create a national network called Nursing Home EXplanatory Clinical Trials: Supporting Transformation by Enhancing Partnerships (NEXT STEPs). This initiative seeks to increase the participation of nursing home residents in clinical studies, a demographic often underrepresented in medical research.
Addressing a Critical Gap in Clinical Research
NEXT STEPs aims to bridge the gap between researchers and the approximately 1.4 million individuals residing in nursing homes across the United States. Dr. Cari Levy, head of the CU Division of Geriatric Medicine, notes that current medical care for this population is often extrapolated from research on younger individuals, leading to uncertainty about optimal treatments. The project seeks to include a more representative sample in research to ensure the care provided is the best fit for nursing home residents.
Building a National Research Infrastructure
The network will span nine states and involve multidisciplinary researchers focused on enhancing both the number and quality of clinical trials. These trials will concentrate on prevention strategies, medical therapeutics, and behavioral and health services interventions, all aimed at optimizing care and improving the quality of life for nursing home residents with multiple chronic conditions and serious illnesses.
Key Components of NEXT STEPs
NEXT STEPs will develop its infrastructure through three supporting cores:
- Recruitment and Retention: This core will focus on attracting new researchers to the field and identifying nursing home facilities eager to participate in innovative research.
- Methods, Measures, and Data: This component will collaborate with the Long-Term Care Data Cooperative to leverage existing data and improve care strategies for nursing home residents.
- Training and Projects: Led by Dr. Cari Levy, this core will educate researchers new to the nursing home setting, offering experiential programs to understand the daily lives of residents and staff. It will also provide pilot grants to support preliminary data collection for larger clinical trials.
Fostering Collaboration and Innovation
Dr. Kathleen Unroe, the principal investigator from Indiana University School of Medicine and Regenstrief Institute, emphasized the urgent need to expand the capacity for high-quality clinical trials in nursing homes. "Growing the infrastructure and capacity of researchers to conduct high-quality clinical trials to test diagnostic and therapeutic advances and care delivery in nursing homes are urgently needed," said Unroe. The network will partner with industry leaders and nursing home resident advocates to identify key priorities and strategies for advancing research in this setting.
Expected Outcomes and Impact
By removing barriers to participation, NEXT STEPs aims to foster a more inclusive research environment. The initiative is expected to establish strong relationships between researchers and nursing homes, making research an integral part of resident care. This collaborative approach not only benefits the scientific community but also offers nursing homes the opportunity to attract individuals seeking cutting-edge care and a chance to contribute to society.
