Funded by a Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) grant titled Building Capacity to Disseminate PCOR/CER Evidence to Reduce Rural Health Disparities in Maine, this project aimed to build a framework that would shorten the timeline for disseminating research findings and implementing interventions in rural healthcare settings.

During the 2-year project, I collaborated with representatives from Maine’s three largest health systems and other healthcare organzations including Maine Department of Health and Human Services and Maine Council on Aging.

Participation in the project included:

• supporting the naming process and developing a custom logo for the dissemination effort—Research Evidence-to-Action for Community Health (REACH)

  
  

• developing a one-page template for the translation of research findings into an easy-to-understand format for use by a variety of healthcare stakeholders

  
  

• translating over 2 dozen research studies into one-page graphic summaries, based on content provided by the Study Team, with a focus on mental health and substance abuse

  
  

• supporting the development of a public-facing, online evidence repository

  
  

• supporting the dissemination team with materials for events to build awareness and knowledge of evidence resources

  
  

• researching vendors, collecting pricing, and placing orders for branded notebooks, pens, and other promotional items

  
  

• developing a graphic icon library and PowerPoint templates, for the continued development of research summaries beyond the timeline of the grant

  
  

• attending Study Team meetings, collaborating with research staff, library staff, and other healthcare consultants; the group met monthly for the duration of the project

  
  

• attending Advisory Panel meetings, collaborating with a diverse group of of healthcare leaders, policy makers, and community organizations; the group met 6 times over the course of the project