2025

Dissemination and Implementation in Embedded Pragmatic Trials: Science-Powered Strategies to Sustain and Spread Effective Interventions: AcademyHealth (December 2025)

Posted on by Sophia Ramirez

December 14, 2025: The NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory hosted a workshop at AcademyHealth's 18th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health. The workshop introduced concepts in the design, conduct, and implementation of pragmatic clinical trials embedded in healthcare systems, with a focus on methods relevant to health services researchers.

Agenda

Speaker Biographies

Program Overview

Participant Guide

Agenda and Slides

Morning Sessions

Welcome and Opening Remarks
Emily O'Brien, PhD

Session 1: Embedded Pragmatic Clinical Trials (ePCTs) and Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trials: Similarities and Differences
Hayden Bosworth, PhD

Session 2: Design and Analysis Considerations
Qilu Yu, PhD

Session 3: Measuring Effectiveness and Implementation Outcomes
Angelo Volandes, MD, MPH

Session 4: ePCTs in Context: Small Group Work Followed by Panel Discussion With NIH Collaboratory Trial PIs
Moderator: Emily O'Brien, PhD
*This session includes case study presentations.

Afternoon Sessions

Session 5: Pilot and Feasibility Testing
Lanay Mudd, PhD

Session 6: Ethical and Regulatory Considerations and Posttrial Obligations
Stephanie Morain, PhD, MPH

Session 7: Engaging and Aligning With Health System and Community Partners
Hayden Bosworth, PhD

Session 8: Posttrial Sustainment or Deimplementation of Study Interventions
Vince Mor, PhD

Session 9: ePCTs in Context: Small Group Work Followed by Panel Discussion With NIH Collaboratory Trial PIs
Moderator: Stephanie Morain, PhD, MPH
*This session includes case study presentations.

Session 10: Writing a Compelling Grant Application
Beda Jean-Francois, PhD

Closing Remarks
Beda Jean-Francois, PhD

 

Case Studies

Examples from the NIH Collaboratory Trials

ACP PEACE: Advance Care Planning: Promoting Effective and Aligned Communication in the Elderly (Angelo Volandes, MD, MPH)

BeatPain Utah: Nonpharmacologic Pain Management in Federally Qualified Health Centers Primary Care Clinics (Julie Fritz, PhD, PT)

LungSMART Utah: Population Health Management Approaches to Increase Lung Cancer Screening in Community Health Centers (David Wetter, PhD, MS)

RAMP: Reaching Rural Veterans: Applying Mind-Body Skills for Pain Using a Whole Health Telehealth Intervention (Diana Burgess, PhD)

PROVEN: Pragmatic Trial of Video Education in Nursing Homes (Vincent Mor, PhD)

Digging Into Dilemmas of Pragmatic Clinical Trials: NIH-Hosted Workshop (November 2025)

Posted on by Sophia Ramirez

November 4-5, 2025: This 2-day workshop focused on the perspectives of providers, healthcare systems, regulators, and payers that can inform better approaches to research embedded in healthcare delivery. A series of panels discussed considerations for research in healthcare systems across a variety of communities; platform trials as an emerging method; implications of pragmatic trials with null findings for future pragmatic research; and the role of pragmatic trials in comparative effectiveness research of artificial intelligence algorithms.

Agenda

Workshop Description

Workshop Recording

Agenda, Slides, and Recordings

Day 1: November 4

Welcome and Introduction

Wendy Weber, ND, PhD, MPH*
Helene Langevin, MD*
Presented by: Lesley Curtis, PhD

Keynote: Landscape of Healthcare in America: Gaps and Opportunities (That Researchers Need to Hear)

David Zaas, MD, MBA

Session 1: Understanding Needs and Priorities of Health Systems Across Communities

Moderator: Cherise Harrington, PhD, MPH

Panel:

  • Aimee Eden, PhD, MPH*
  • Rachel Gold, PhD, MPH
  • Caleb Holtzer, MD, MPH
  • Ann Sheehy, MD, MS*
  • Sebastian Tong, MD, MPH

Session 2: Realizing the Potential of Platform Trials

Moderator: Adrian Hernandez, MD, MHS

Panel:

  • Marianne Kearney Chase
  • Martin Landray, MB ChB, PhD
  • Gregory Levin, PhD
  • Christopher Lindsell, PhD
  • Bijoy Menon, MBBS, MD, DM, MSc

Summary and Concluding Remarks

Lesley Curtis, PhD
Cherise Harrington, PhD, MPH
Adrian Hernandez, MD, MHS
Wendy Weber, ND, PhD, MPH*

Day 2: November 5

Welcome and Introduction

Wendy Weber, ND, PhD, MPH*
Helene Langevin, MD*
Presented by: Kevin Weinfurt, PhD

Session 3: What Do We Learn From Null Pragmatic Trials?

Presenter: Kevin Weinfurt, PhD

Moderator: Josephine Briggs, MD

Panel:

  • Corita Grudzen, MD, MSHS
  • Michael Ho, MD, PhD
  • Vincent Mor, PhD
  • Miguel Vazquez, MD

Session 4: What Is the Role of ePCTs in the Age of Artificial Intelligence?

Moderator: Emily O'Brien, PhD

Panel:

  • Adrian Hernandez, MD, MHS
  • Michael Ho, MD, PhD
  • Rohan Khera, MD, MS
  • Edward Melnick, MD, MHS
  • Jeremy Sugarman, MD, MPH, MA
  • Kenneth Wiley, PhD*


Summary and Concluding Remarks

Josephine Briggs, MD
Lesley Curtis, PhD
Emily O'Brien, PhD
Wendy Weber, ND, PhD, MPH*
Kevin Weinfurt, PhD

*Participated in workshop planning but unable to attend the live event due to the federal government shutdown.

October 29, 2025 Virtual Onboarding Meeting: CARNATION

NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory Onboarding Meeting

October 29, 2025
Virtual

Purpose

Welcome and hear from our new NIH Collaboratory Trial; provide introductions and an overview of the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory; hear from the Core Working Groups; and engage in discussion.

Welcome and Opening Remarks
Lesley Curtis
Wendy Weber*

Overview of the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory
Lesley Curtis
Wendy Weber*

Working With the NIH Collaboratory Coordinating Center
Kevin Weinfurt

Get to Know the New UG3 NIH Collaboratory Trial 
Coordinated cARe paiN mAnagement Technology ImplementatiON (CARNATION)
Lynn DeBar
Rachel Gold
Nicole Cook

Introduction to the Core Working Groups

 

Closing Remarks
Kevin Weinfurt
Wendy Weber*

 

*Unable to attend the onboarding meeting due to the federal government shutdown.

October 28, 2025 Virtual Onboarding Meeting: EquiP PC

NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory Onboarding Meeting

October 28, 2025
Virtual

Purpose

Welcome and hear from our new NIH Collaboratory Trial; provide introductions and an overview of the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory; hear from the Core Working Groups; and engage in discussion.

Welcome and Opening Remarks
Adrian Hernandez
Wendy Weber*

Overview of the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory
Adrian Hernandez
Wendy Weber*

Working With the NIH Collaboratory Coordinating Center
Adrian Hernandez

Get to Know the New UG3 NIH Collaboratory Trial 
Equitable Primary Care for Pain Care (EquiP PC)
Kari Stephens

Introduction to the Core Working Groups

 

Closing Remarks
Adrian Hernandez
Wendy Weber*

 

*Unable to attend the onboarding meeting due to the federal government shutdown.

January 8, 2025 Virtual Onboarding Meeting: STEP-2

NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory Onboarding Meeting

January 8, 2025
Virtual

Purpose

Welcome and hear from our new NIH Collaboratory Trial; provide introductions and an overview of the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory; hear from the Core Working Groups; and engage in discussion.

Welcome and Opening Remarks
Wendy Weber
Adrian Hernandez

Overview of the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory and a Cooperative Agreement
Wendy Weber

Working With the NIH Collaboratory Coordinating Center
Adrian Hernandez

Brief Introduction to the Core Working Groups

New UG3 NIH Collaboratory Trial Overview
Self-Testing for Cervical Cancer in Priority Populations (STEP-2)
Rachel Winer
Amanda Petrik
Jasmin Tiro

Open Discussion
Adrian Hernandez

Closing Remarks
Wendy Weber
Adrian Hernandez