Updating the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) 2014 Engagement Rubric

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Until recently, evidence on how to engage with patients and other partners in health care research and the impact of engagement in research has been limited.

Since 2014, PCORI and its awardees have contributed to a growing body of knowledge and evidence about engagement in research. These learnings and increased emphasis on health equity support the need for further guidance to accelerate meaningful, effective, and sustainable engagement with patients and other partners on patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) projects.

In 2022 and 2023, AIR and its partner, the Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care, led a collaborative process with PCORI, researchers, and partners to update the 2014 PCORI Engagement Rubric to reflect growing knowledge and experience within the field since 2014. This process included:

• Conducting an environmental scan that included a review of external guidance related to engagement in research.
• Conducting key informant interviews with experts in engagement and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and focus groups with PCORI awardees and patient partners.
• Planning and facilitating a series of strategic planning meetings with PCORI staff to develop a vision and goals for the updated Rubric.
• Participating in meetings with PCORI’s Advisory Panel on Patient Engagement to identify, discuss, and prioritize expectations to practice meaningful engagement on project teams.
• Planning and conducting a virtual convening with researchers, partners, thought leaders in engagement and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and PCORI staff to gather perspectives about and priorities for building on and expanding the Rubric.
• Developing engagement guidance referred to as PCORI’s Foundational Expectations for Partnerships in Research.