EMPOWERING PATIENTS & FAMILIES

Patient engagement is key to ensuring that research adequately addresses the needs and values of the community.

Patient-Centered Research prioritizes the inclusion of individuals, organizations, or communities that have a direct interest in the process and outcomes of a study.

Patients are considered equal partners in research teams alongside researchers, doctors, and others who will be impacted by the findings. The inclusion of patients with diverse backgrounds and experiences and the amplification of underserved voices makes research more equitable and representative.

Watch this short video to learn more about how the patient experience can inform research.

REACHNET

REACHnet is a partnership among different healthcare organizations that connects patients, researchers, and healthcare providers to conduct patient-centered research. We want to make it easier for patients and their families to collaborate with healthcare professionals and researchers. To do this, REACHnet offers opportunities through the Health in Our Hands Community for patients to be involved in research projects as participants or advisors.

Launched in 2014, REACHnet is a partnership between the Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI) and several partner health systems in Louisiana, Texas, and California. REACHnet is a clinical research network that includes de-identified health data from electronic health records for more than 8 million patients. This data helps researchers understand how health conditions and interventions impact people from diverse backgrounds.

Because REACHnet works with a diverse patient population served by our partner health systems, we are able to support studies that recruit a highly representative sample of participants, including patients who have been traditionally under-represented in research. This helps produce more informative evidence to guide healthcare decision-making. We engage researchers, healthcare partners, and patients and their families–just like you.

GET INVOLVED

REACHnet offers opportunities for patients and their families to collaborate with healthcare professionals and researchers through the Health in Our Hands Community. Health in Our Hands (HiOH) coordinates opportunities for patient partners to learn about and give input to current research projects. Additionally, HiOH offers training sessions and workshops to explore fundamental aspects of patient-centered research, such as, health equity, data literacy, and more.

For more information and to learn how to join the Health in Our Hands Community, click “Learn More.” 

YOUR VOICE IN ACTION

Since 2014, REACHnet has centered patient engagement across various studies. Some projects that have included patients like you as partners are:

Louisiana Experiment to Address Diabetes: Zero-Dollar Copayment (LEAD-ZDC): This study examines whether lowering out-of-pocket costs for select medications impacts medication adherence and health outcomes for patients with diabetes. Learn more about this study here.

Aspirin Dosing: A Patient-centric Trial Assessing Benefits and Long-Term Effectiveness (ADAPTABLE): The purpose of ADAPTABLE was to find the best dose of aspirin, 81 mg or 325 mg, for people with heart disease to reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. You can learn more about the study findings here.