The Health Systems Implementation Initiative (HSII) is a multiyear initiative from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). The PCORI HSII program includes 42 health system participants from across the United States and seeks to advance healthcare practice changes based on comparative clinical effectiveness research.

Through HSII, PCORI provides funding to undertake implementation projects that advance the adoption of such evidence. This improves patient care and creates lasting change within participating systems. The program lays the groundwork for broader adoption of evidence-based practices.

Under the direction of program leads Vinay Vaidya, MD and Stewart Goldman, MD, Phoenix Children’s is honored to have been selected as one of the inaugural PCORI HSII sites.

Awarded PCORI HSII Projects

Funding opportunities with PCORI HSII focus on promoting the uptake of specific evidence from PCORI-funded comparative clinical effectiveness research within each participating healthcare delivery system. The ultimate goal is to advance healthcare on a national scale.

Initial Capacity Building

Phoenix Children’s received Capacity Building funding under PCORI HSII. This award supports organizational staffing and workflows to prepare for future implementation projects. We are continuing our efforts and plans for future PCORI HSII opportunities.

Appropriate Antibiotic Prescribing for Children with Acute Respiratory Tract Infections (ARTIs)

Under the leadership of principal investigators (PIs) Dr. Vaidya and Wendy Bernatavicius, MD, Phoenix Children’s received funding for the first PCORI HSII implementation project, entitled Appropriate Antibiotic Prescribing for Children with Acute Respiratory Tract Infections (ARTIs).

This project seeks to improve standard care practices regarding prescribing antibiotics for ARTIs across outpatient and ambulatory centers at Phoenix Children’s. The trans-disciplinary project will include participation from our Antimicrobial Stewardship, Pharmacy, and Patient and Family Experience teams. This will help us advance our commitment to providing the best healthcare to our patients and their families.

Drs. Vaidya and Bernatavicius were invited to speak at the annual PCORI conference in Washington, D.C. They represented Phoenix Children’s as one of three PCORI HSII sites highlighted during this presentation.