Dr. Michelle Price, CNTR Exec. Director, Ashley Moreno, CNTR Research Associate, and Dr. Elliott Haut, VTE Project PI, share their poster.

Researchers, patients, caregivers—including several affiliated with CNTR—convened last month at the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Annual Meeting to network and share results of the latest PCORI-funded research.

Dr. Elliott Haut and CNTR Executive Director, Dr. Michelle Price, presented a poster on the PCORI-funded VTE Prophylaxis Education Implementation project. That project implemented a nurse education module at nine trauma centers and examined the impact on missed and refused doses and ultimately on VTE outcomes in trauma patients. The study team also evaluated the costs and implementation strategies to scale the intervention to other trauma centers.

Two of CNTR’s Injury Research Engagement Panel (I-REP) members, Jeffrey Wells and Juanita Gonzalez, attended the meeting. A PCORI scholarship recipient, Gonzalez received funding to cover travel expenses and support. She was also invited to attend a pre-meeting Patient and Ambassador Workshop.

“I knew I wanted to advocate for patients but didn’t really know how besides speaking up when I could and participating in research and panels like I-REP,” Gonzalez said. “I gained so much insight on what others besides the patient and their caregivers are thinking and doing to make a difference. My knowledge and perspective grew with every interaction at the meeting.”

CNTR Patient Partner, Jeffrey Wells, and CNTR Research Associate, Ashley Moreno, enjoy a moment together at the PCORI meeting.

Speakers at the PCORI Annual Meeting reinforced that patient engagement should be careful, kind, and connected. By valuing lived expertise, creating authentic relationships, and committing to mutual learning, investigators can ensure that their research is not only scientifically sound but truly patient-centered, they said.

Sessions offered practical ideas for meeting PCORI’s Foundational Expectations for Partnerships in Research, such as ways to fully engage patient partners with goal-oriented tasks. And one presenter emphasized the role of community health workers as trusted collaborators who bring cultural touch-points to research, often resulting in improved outcomes.

“PCORI underscores that research results should be shared with partners and study participants,” said Ashley Moreno, CNTR Research Associate. As manager of the I-REP Patient and Caregiver Panel, she attended the meeting as well. “Speakers shared that investigators can provide personalized plain-language summaries using generative AI tools, or post research results via public/policy channels. Above all, results should be broadly accessible via trusted channels that reach people where they are.”

Participation was personal for Jeffrey Wells. “One of the most unexpected things about the PCORI meeting was realizing that I am not alone in the wilderness but am a part of a community that is valued. The thoughts I have are listened to,” Wells said. “Researchers have traded the aura of omnipotence for curiosity about what is meaningful for the patient.”

Learn more about the VTE Prophylaxis Education Implementation project: Here.

Watch 2025 PCORI Annual Meeting keynote addresses and plenary sessions: Here.