Employment


Research Associate for Evaluation (Project Manager)

Research Associate, Clinical Evidence




Research Associate for Evaluation (Project Manager)

Summary
The Foundation creates audiovisual programs and other materials to help patients make medical decisions.  These materials are carefully evaluated before they are released and every 6 months thereafter to ensure that they are up to date.  In addition, when these materials are used in clinical practice, there is an ongoing effort to learn how well they are serving patients and how they can be improved.  The Research Associate for Evaluation manages all aspects of the Foundation’s evaluation activities.  This involves coordinating and summarizing qualitative and quantitative feedback about FIMDM materials from internal reviews (e.g. rough cut, 6-month, 2-year); demonstration and research sites; and the Foundation’s partner, Health Dialog, which distributes materials through its health coaching staff. Duties include working with medical editors, clinical advisors, external evaluation sites, demonstration sites, Health Dialog, and researchers working with the Foundation in order to improve the quality of the materials that the Foundation develops and maintains.  Goals include:

• Coordinating internal reviews by clinicians and patients (rough cut reviews, 6-month reviews, and 2-year reviews) for new and existing programs.
• Working with demonstration sites, research investigators, and Health Dialog to get feedback on materials produced by the Foundation and incorporating feedback into the evaluation process in order to improve these materials.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Manages the evaluation process for periodic review of FIMDM materials including but not limited to 6-month and two-year reviews leading to program revision, and new “rough cut” evaluations.
• Assists in developing clinician network to provide program feedback.
• Provides oversight and leadership to the evaluation sites. Negotiates evaluation schedules and communicates recruitment criteria via periodic conference calls and quarterly meetings; acts as ongoing facilitator to identify problems and develop strategies for issues including recruitment of lower literacy patients, communication of risk, discussion of rating criteria, etc.
• Facilitates the development of evaluation feedback instruments (e.g. patient focus group guides, patient and provider surveys, and decision quality instruments).
• Analyzes qualitative and quantitative results from evaluations and puts results in reports and other forms for internal and external use.
• Reviews and works to improve and expand evaluation activities.
• Ensures that FIMDM decision aids are consistent with quality criteria for decision aid development, such as IPDAS.
• Travels as needed to facilitate evaluation efforts (e.g. focus groups, evaluation sites, research partners).
• Participates in research, production, and evaluation planning meetings.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required

• MA/MPH in health or social sciences with experience in a medical or health services research environment.
• Background in evaluation, patient education, and project management.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with multi-disciplinary project teams, including clinicians.
• Proficiency in computing software including MS Office and SPSS.

Preferred

• Familiarity with medical conditions.
• Academic or work experience in research methods, patient education, or medical decision making.

Required Licenses or Certifications
None

Physical Requirements:

• Foundation is based in Boston at 40 Court Street.
• Travel as needed.
• Operate camcorder to record focus groups when needed.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential functions satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation.

Interested parties should submit their resume, along with a cover letter, to hr@fimdm.org.

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Research Associate, Clinical Evidence

The Research Associate’s key responsibilities include:

• Serve as project coordinator for Foundation’s role in development and maintenance of patient decision aids
• Research the medical literature and summarize current research studies and data related to the key issues and outcomes of specific medical decisions.
• Working with Medical Editors, develop and maintain clinical evidence materials to support development and updates to patient decision aids and other Foundation materials.
• Serve as liaison between medical editors and advisors and production staff, including scriptwriters, video producers, and graphic designers.
• Provide technical assistance to Foundation partners.
• Participate in the Foundation’s evaluation, research, and outreach activities.
  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

For assigned patient decision aid topics and/or conditions:

• Research, review, and critically evaluate medical literature related to the detection, management, or treatment of the condition.
• Identify key decisions, testing or treatment options, relevant outcomes for each option, and patient preference issues that may affect choices. Summarize evidence for the effectiveness of each option.
• Identify appropriate sources of data to support estimates of treatment effectiveness. Abstract and summarize biomedical data from a variety of sources (to include journal articles and other health services research sources). Convert biomedical statistics into consumer-friendly concepts that can be adapted for graphical presentation. Perform basic statistical calculations to derive estimates for new programs and to confirm the accuracy of estimates in existing programs. Document calculations and assumptions made when deriving estimates from published data.
  Identify and evaluate existing tools or rating scales that may be appropriate, suggesting adaptations when needed.
• Draft evidence documents) for review by Medical Editors and advisors. Integrate feedback, conducting additional research as needed.
• Identify ongoing major research trials related to key treatment options.
• Monitor the literature regularly for new data related to assigned topics and programs. Create and maintain electronic or paper files to support scheduled program reviews. Document the source of all key program evidence and data estimates (including assumptions made when data are estimated).
• Coordinate with Patient Perspective team to identify, recruit, and screen patients for filmed interviews for patient decision aids.
• Work with Foundation partners to develop scripts, graphics, booklets, web scripts, and other shared decision making program components.

Evaluation activities may include:

• Participate in development of evaluation materials, including surveys.
• Review patient and clinical feedback; summarize key areas identified as needing revision; document (with citations) evidence supporting the need for revisions.
• Participate in planning meetings with Medical Editor and/or Foundation partners to discuss and negotiate program revisions.
• Work with Foundation partners to revise program components as appropriate.
• Document response to all program feedback and revisions.
  

Research activities may include:

• Assist with development of patient surveys and other materials for use in Foundation-sponsored research studies and demonstration sites.
  

Outreach activities may include:

• Provide technical support (e.g., focused evidence reviews) to Foundation partners in assigned subject areas.
• Review and critique medical news reports by national print and broadcast media.
• Coordinate with Foundation partners and/or consultants the development of additional patient decision support materials, including for web, print, or other distribution.
• Represent the Foundation at professional meetings.
  

Other Responsibilities

Duties that are not essential to the job but may be performed at times include:

• Negotiate and manage work plans and schedules with Foundation partners and consultants.
• Assist with identifying potential clinical advisors.
• Perform Medline searches to support patient insight development.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
  

Qualifications

Required

• Experience or education equivalent to a master’s degree, preferably in the health or social sciences.
• Experience using Medline and other online databases to research the medical literature (minimum 2 years).
• Demonstrated ability to critically appraise, interpret, and summarize key concepts and biomedical statistics from clinical research studies.
• Familiarity with data sources for health services research findings, and ability to abstract relevant statistics from those sources.
• Demonstrated ability to write clearly and accurately about complex medical conditions in terms understandable to non-clinicians.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with multi-disciplinary project teams, including clinicians.
• Familiar with evidence-based medicine concepts, theories, and practice.
  

Preferred

• Experience with chronic medical conditions (diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, cancer, orthopedic conditions), including working with patients in a health care delivery or advocacy setting.
• Academic or work experience in statistics, research methods, cognitive psychology, patient education, or medical decision making.
• Experience with project management in a print, video, and/or web production setting.
  

Required Licenses or Certifications

• None

Physical Requirements

Work is primarily sedentary in nature; no special demands are required. Everyday use of computer and telephone is necessary. Occasional travel by private vehicle, by plane or other public transportation may be required.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential functions satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation.

We offer a generous benefits package, including health insurance, participation in our 403(b) retirement plan, and a liberal vacation policy.  For more information, visit our website at www.fimdm.org.  Interested applicants should send a letter describing their experience along with a current resume to hr@fimdm.org.

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