Department of Defense Tripler Army Medical Center Pacific Regional Program Office Akamai Telemedicine Research Program

AGENCY: U.S. Army

ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability for Telemedicine Research Projects

SUMMARY:

The Pacific Regional Program Office (PRPO) will be requesting the submission of telemedicine research abstracts on February 15, 1998. A Program Guide will be published February 15, 1998, describing the conditions and guidelines under which proposals will be received, reviewed, evaluated and selected by the Akamai Telemedicine Research Program. PRPO will determine which proposals are funded.

Akamai is a DOD Congressionally funded program designed to demonstrate and validate telemedicine concepts and technologies in the Pacific Region. Akamai-supported research is intended to evaluate and document the clinical and economic value of telemedicine and its impact on the delivery of health care services in the Pacific.

RESEARCH PRIORITIES:

PRPO is committed to supporting innovative and unique projects that can serve as models for improving health care services delivery in the Pacific. Each project should identify specific problems, requirements and/or needs in the health care system, evaluate the integration of promising cost- effective technologies, enhance current workflow processes and target realistic and measurable outcomes.

• Remote electronic triage, disease management and diagnosis
• Distance clinical collaboration
• Case management
• Disease prevention and health promotion
• Development of electronic medical treatment and management protocols
• Clinical evaluation of emerging technologies

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

All health care professionals in the DOD are invited to submit proposals. The Principal Investigator (PI) can be stationed at any DOD medical facility. However, it is required that either the PI or one or more of the Co-Investigators be located in the Pacific Region. All research will be conducted and managed in the Pacific.

PROCESS:

The selection process will be structured using a three-tiered approach. An abstract with a rough cost estimate will be requested as the first step in the application process. Upon receipt, PRPO program staff will begin a preliminary evaluation. If accepted, a pre-proposal will be requested, which will be reviewed by PRPO, along with a selected telemedicine advisory council, using a given set of criteria. If approved, a full scientific proposal will be requested in accordance with the appropriate IRB standard format. Once approved by the IRB, the proposal will be forwarded back to PRPO for final funding consideration.

 

FUNDING AVAILABILITY:

Approximately $1 million is available for new research projects in FY 99. Projects previously awarded have ranged from $50,000 to $1 million, with the average project funded at $250,000. Project funding is one year in duration. Multi-year projects will be reconsidered for additional funding on an annual basis.

DATES:

It is anticipated that abstracts be completed by April 1, 1998. Applicants will be notified within 30 days following submission, if a pre-proposal will be requested. Full proposals will be due to the appropriate IRB in June 1998. Awards will be announced in October 1998 and projects funded during FY99.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Cynthia Kohuth, R.N.
Pacific Regional Program Office
MCPA-PO
1 Jarrett White Road, 2D, Room 236
Tripler AMC, HI 96859-5000
Phone: (808) 433-3600 Fax: (808) 433-1920
E-Mail: kohuthc@website.tamc.amedd.army.mil