Citation

Price MA, Beilman GJ, Fabian TC, Hoyt DB, Jurkovich GJ, Knudson MM, MacKenzie EJ, Marshall VS, Overton KE, Peitzman AB, Phillips MJ, Pruitt BA, Smith SL, Stewart RM, Jenkins DH. J. Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2016; 81(3): 548-554.

Affiliation

San Antonio, TX, USA, communications@nationaltraumainstitute.org University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas, USA, pricema@uthscsa.edu University of Minnesota, North Memorial Medical Center, Robbinsdale, MN, beilm001@umn.edu University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA, tfabian@uthsc.edu American College of Surgeons, Chicago, IL, USA, dhoyt@facs.org University of California - Davis, CA, USA, gjjurkovich@ucdavis.edu University of California - San Francisco, CA, USA, Peggy.Knudson@ucsf.edu Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA, emacken1@jhu.edu Children's Hospital of San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA, vivienne.marshall@christushealth.org National Trauma Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA, khicks89@hotmail.com University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, peitzmanab@upmc.edu National Trauma Institute, San Antonio, TX USA, Monica.Phillips@NationalTraumaInstitute.org University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas, USA, pruitt@uthscsa.edu National Trauma Institute, San Antonio, TX USA, Sharon.Smith@NationalTraumaInstitute.org University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas, USA, stewartr@uthscsa.edu Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA, Jenkins.Donald@Mayo.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/TA.0000000000001080

PMID

27054514

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In order to increase trauma-related research and elevate trauma on the national research agenda, the National Trauma Institute (NTI) issued calls for proposals, selected funding recipients and coordinated sixteen federally funded (Department of Defense [DoD]) trauma research awards over a four-year period. We sought to collect and describe the lessons learned from this activity in order to inform future researchers of barriers and facilitators.

METHODS: Fifteen principal investigators participated in semi-structured interviews focused on study management issues such as securing institutional approvals, screening and enrollment, multi-site trials management, project funding, staffing and institutional support. NTI Science Committee meeting minutes and study management data were included in the analysis. Simple descriptive statistics were generated and textual data were analyzed for common themes.

RESULTS: PIs reported challenges in obtaining institutional approvals, delays in study initiation, screening and enrollment, multi-site management and study funding. Most were able to successfully resolve challenges and have been productive in terms of scholarly publications, securing additional research funding and training future trauma investigators.

CONCLUSIONS: Lessons learned in the conduct of the first two funding rounds managed by NTI are instructive in four key areas: regulatory processes, multi-site coordination, adequate funding and the importance of an established research infrastructure to ensure study success. Recommendations for addressing institution-related and investigator-related challenges are discussed along with ongoing advocacy efforts to secure sustained federal funding of a national trauma research program commensurate with the burden of injury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Not applicable.

Language: en