The Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research (PCCR) has received a grant in excess of $310,000 from the Health Resources and Services Administration to establish a practice-based research network encompassing a wide variety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers. This collaborative research endeavor, in which the PCCR will subcontract half of the grant amount to the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, will evaluate CAM models of pain management for low back pain and other conditions commonly seen in practice.
According to Maria Hondras, DC, MPH, faculty member at the PCCR and principal investigator of the project, "The long-term goal is to establish a large, pain-focused, practice-based research network of [CAM] providers who systematically collect health outcomes assessments from their patients and track outcomes." To that end, project leaders will develop the infrastructure for a comprehensive database of a variety of pain management approaches, test data collection protocols, and establish a network of participating practices, clinicians and patient populations.
The Palmer Center's Office of Data Management & Biostatistics will serve as the coordinating data center for the research network, while the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center will collaborate by co-developing protocols and oversight mechanisms. Investigators from both the PCCR and the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center have already built collaborative relationships with CAM leaders to serve on a steering committee overseeing the practice-based network.
In addition to Dr. Hondras, two other Palmer investigators are involved in the new project: Cynthia Long, PhD, director of the Office of Data Management & Biostatistics; and Christine Choate, DC, PhD, executive director of research at the PCCR. Representing the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine are Daniel Monti, MD, and Joel Edman, DSc.
The steering committee features Carlo Calabrese, ND, MPH, of National College of Naturopathic Medicine; Mitchell Haas, MS, DC, of Western States Chiropractic College; Richard Hammerschlag, PhD, from Oregon College of Oriental Medicine; Patricia Herman, ND, PhD, from the University of Arizona; and Wendy Weber, ND, MPH, PhD, of Bastyr University.
"This project is significant because one of the most common complaints seen in [CAM] and integrative medicine practices, especially chiropractic practices, is low back pain," said Dr. Hondras. "While there is a growing collection of both clinical trials and population studies examining the use of CAM by the general public, very little is known regarding the actual clinical practice of CAM modalities in either small clinician practices or in integrated health systems."
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