The Learning Health System: Small Grants Program Announcement

The Department of Learning Health Sciences and the University of Michigan Office of Research are pleased to announce a pilot grant program to accelerate development of systems, methods and technologies that support the science underlying the development of a ubiquitous global Learning Health System (LHS).   

We are specifically seeking project descriptions that address either of two challenges:   

• Challenge 1 relates to the concept of a platform, or infrastructure, consisting of technology, policies, and processes that make learning and improvement routine and sustainable.  A platform can be seen as set of interconnected services that support full learning cycles. Full learning cycles incorporate data specification, collection and analysis with human interpretation of findings, knowledge representation and dissemination, implementation of practice changes and documentation of their impacts. Platform components supporting knowledge representation, knowledge dissemination, and implementation of practice changes and documentation of their impacts are a priority for this small grant program.
   
• Challenge 2 relates to system scaling and interoperation. Learning systems that operate at different levels of scale are rapidly appearing. Examples include corporately-bounded systems such as Kaiser-Permanente and inter-organizational networks such as CancerLinQ or Michigan’s own Collaborative Quality Initiatives. How can, perhaps in a manner analogous to the evolution of the Internet, these emerging learning systems achieve higher levels of scale as an interoperable “system of systems”? 

We invite Project Descriptions that address either of the two challenges described above. While project work may develop and initially test components against a particular health problem or disease domain, the results of the research project should be applicable across domains and a wide spectrum of health problems. 

After reviewing the program website for additional background and submission details, interested investigators should submit a one-page Project Description to share their idea. The Project Description should include the problem to be addressed, how the project will address the problem, and anticipated outcomes from the proposed work. No budget is required yet. Project Descriptions will be accepted until Friday, June 3, 2016. A small number of the ideas submitted will be selected for further development to generate a proposal for up to $100,000 to carry out the project. To advance the goal of pan?campus collaboration, projects must include at least one faculty member with a primary appointment outside of the University of Michigan Medical School. Projects which engage more than one faculty member will receive higher priority.

Website: http://dlhs-umi.ch/lhssmallgrants