Note: This insight was originally published on July 9, 2020. It was updated on July 29, 2020, to announce an upcoming funding opportunity.

In July 2019, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), Avalere launched the Health Systems Transformation Research Coordinating Center (HSTRC). In collaboration with researchers, policymakers, and health system leaders, the HSTRC aims to change how research is generated, funded, and used to transform health systems in promotion of broader health equity for Medicaid-eligible individuals.

As a part of this multiyear initiative, the HSTRC developed a robust research agenda to strengthen evidence and advance health system models of care that address the interrelated goals and needs of Medicaid-eligible individuals. Evidence suggests that health systems need to move beyond their historical focus on physical health issues and address behavioral health, social, and functional needs of vulnerable populations.

About the Research Agenda

Avalere built the research agenda from the following sources:

1. A literature review
2. Focus groups with Medicaid beneficiaries
3. Interviews with key opinion leaders

Additionally, Avalere solicited iterative feedback from the advisory committee and a group of health system leaders to build consensus around the structure and content of the research agenda.

The research agenda has 3 key objectives:

• Guide research to strengthen the evidence base for health system models of care that promote health equity and address the interrelated goals and needs of Medicaid-eligible individuals
• Support the promotion of health system models of care that address the interrelated goals and needs of Medicaid-eligible individuals using a comprehensive and integrated approach
• Identify and evaluate resources and mechanisms that can help to ensure health system model of care sustainability

The research agenda outlines:

• Priority components for health system models of care addressing the goals and needs of Medicaid-eligible individuals
• HSTRC activities to support implementation of the research agenda

The HSTRC will apply this research agenda to guide funding, evidence generation, and evaluations of models of care that promote health equity for Medicaid-eligible individuals.

What’s Next with the Health Systems Transformation Research Coordinating Center?

The research agenda will be utilized to inform an upcoming call for proposals aimed at filling the identified evidence gaps needed to spread effective new care delivery models. Through this grantmaking, the HSTRC seeks to evaluate components of health system models of care to advance components that add to a model’s success and deprioritize those that offer little benefit. Grants will take place over the span of 12–18 months, and grantees will test how a model of care has direct impact on a set of person-centered defined outcomes for their population of interest. Following implementation, the HSTRC will synthesize findings across grant evaluations, identify lessons learned, and make recommendations for scale/spread.

The RWJF intends to release the CFP on its website on August 5, with proposals being due 4 weeks later on September 2. Selections will be made in the fall, and we anticipate that grants will launch in December.

Download the research agenda.

If you are interested in finding ways to partner with us on this initiative, please reach out to Healthtransformation@Avalere.com.