Paul Christine L, Verrills Nicole M, Ackland Stephen, Scott Rodney, Goode Susan, Thomas Ann, Lukeman Sarah, Nielsen Sarah, Weidenhofer Judith, Lynam James, Fradgley Elizabeth A, Martin Jarad, Greer Peter, Smith Stephen, Griffin Cassandra, Avery-Kiejda Kelly A, Zdenkowski Nick, Searles Andrew, Ramanathan Shanthi
School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
BMC Health Serv Res. 2024 Mar 11;24(1):320. doi: 10.1186/s12913-024-10680-2.
Translating research, achieving impact, and assessing impact are important aspirations for all research collaboratives but can prove challenging. The Hunter Cancer Research Alliance (HCRA) was funded from 2014 to 2021 to enhance capacity and productivity in cancer research in a regional centre in Australia. This study aimed to assess the impact and benefit of the HCRA to help inform future research investments of this type.
The Framework to Assess the Impact from Translational health research (FAIT) was selected as the preferred methodology. FAIT incorporates three validated methodologies for assessing impact: 1) Modified Payback; 2) Economic Analysis; and 3) Narrative overview and case studies. All three FAIT methods are underpinned by a Program Logic Model. Data were collected from HCRA and the University of Newcastle administrative records, directly from HCRA members, and website searches.
In addition to advancing knowledge and providing capacity building support to members via grants, fellowships, scholarships, training, events and targeted translation support, key impacts of HCRA-member research teams included: (i) the establishment of a regional biobank that has distributed over 13,600 samples and became largely self-sustaining; (ii) conservatively leveraging $43.8 M (s.a.$20.5 M - $160.5 M) in funding and support from the initial $9.7 M investment; (iii) contributing to clinical practice guidelines and securing a patent for identification of stem cells for endometrial cell regeneration; (iv) shifting the treatment paradigm for all tumour types that rely on nerve cell innervation, (v) development and implementation of the world's first real-time patient treatment verification system (Watchdog); (vi) inventing the effective 'EAT' psychological intervention to improve nutrition and outcomes in people experiencing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer; (vi) developing effective interventions to reduce smoking rates among priority groups, currently being rolled out to disadvantaged populations in NSW; and (vii) establishing a Consumer Advisory Panel and Consumer Engagement Committee to increase consumer involvement in research.
Using FAIT methodology, we have demonstrated the significant impact and downstream benefits that can be achieved by the provision of infrastructure-type funding to regional and rural research collaboratives to help address inequities in research activity and health outcomes and demonstrates a positive return on investment.
将研究成果转化、实现影响力并评估影响力是所有研究合作团队的重要目标，但可能具有挑战性。亨特癌症研究联盟（HCRA）在2014年至2021年期间获得资助，以提高澳大利亚一个地区中心癌症研究的能力和生产力。本研究旨在评估HCRA的影响和益处，为未来此类研究投资提供参考。
选择评估转化性健康研究影响的框架（FAIT）作为首选方法。FAIT包含三种经过验证的评估影响的方法：1）修正投资回收期；2）经济分析；3）叙述性概述和案例研究。FAIT的所有三种方法都以项目逻辑模型为基础。数据从HCRA和纽卡斯尔大学的行政记录、直接从HCRA成员以及网站搜索中收集。
除了通过资助、奖学金、培训、活动和有针对性的转化支持来推进知识并为成员提供能力建设支持外，HCRA成员研究团队的主要影响包括：（i）建立了一个区域生物样本库，该样本库已分发了超过13600个样本并基本实现了自我维持；（ii）从最初的970万美元投资中保守地撬动了4380万美元（相当于每年2050万美元至1.605亿美元）的资金和支持；（iii）为临床实践指南做出贡献，并获得了一项用于鉴定子宫内膜细胞再生干细胞的专利；（iv）改变了所有依赖神经细胞支配的肿瘤类型的治疗模式；（v）开发并实施了世界上第一个实时患者治疗验证系统（Watchdog）；（vi）发明了有效的“EAT”心理干预措施，以改善头颈癌放疗患者的营养状况和治疗效果；（vi）开发了有效的干预措施以降低重点人群的吸烟率，目前正在新南威尔士州的弱势群体中推广；以及（vii）成立了消费者咨询小组和消费者参与委员会，以增加消费者对研究的参与度。
使用FAIT方法，我们证明了向区域和农村研究合作团队提供基础设施型资金可以实现显著的影响和下游效益，有助于解决研究活动和健康结果方面的不平等问题，并展示了积极的投资回报。
