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Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition (2011)

Chapter: The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener

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Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
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The Value of Collaboration: IOM’s Role as a Convener

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has a singular capacity to bring together various stakeholders to work together on health problems of shared interest. Through both its ongoing roundtables, sometimes called forums, and through unique partnerships, the IOM shapes the conversation around health and health care. Partnerships with outside organizations bring complementary strengths and enable the IOM to amplify the size and character of its audience and the impact of its work. The IOM has pursued a number of such new opportunities with outside organizations in recent years.

HBO Obesity Project

In association with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the IOM has entered into an innovative collaboration with HBO Documentary Films aimed at helping to slow, arrest, and reverse the disturbing trend toward obesity in our country. The collaboration, titled The Weight of the Nation, is part of IOM’s continuing commitment to ameliorate the nation’s obesity epidemic. The IOM’s work in this area began with the landmark 2005 study, Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance. The expected spring 2012 publication Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention will add to this considerable body of work. The Weight of the Nation is expected to generate unprecedented national impact through the production, airing, and dissemination of five documentary films in 2012, along with companion publications, a video-rich website and social network presence,

Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
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and the free distribution of 40,000 screening kits to enable communities to screen the film locally.

The Health Data Initiative

The Health Data Initiative, launched by the IOM and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in June 2010, is a public-private collaboration that encourages innovators to use health data to help power applications and services that can improve health and health care. Last year’s launch, attended by 350 stakeholders, featured new “apps” that demonstrated highly innovative ways to employ community-level health data to improve health. This year the IOM and HHS enlarged the program, with a second meeting held in June 2011. The forum, held at the Natcher Conference Center at the NIH, was attended by more than 550 participants from information technology firms, healthcare delivery systems, academia, business, social sectors, public health communities, and all levels of gov-

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Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, addresses the Health Data Initiative Forum, June 9, 2011.

SOURCE: The National Academies.

Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×

ernment. It also was webcast nationally to more than 350 individuals and viewed by another 250 people at 10 satellite locations. The forum included an extensive “expo” and highlighted the work of nearly 50 companies and other organizations as well as the winning apps from the Collegiate Challenge, a national contest for college students to design a health app.

Forums, roundtables, and symposia

In the role of partner and convener, the IOM serves as a neutral meeting place where diverse groups of people can come together to share information and advance knowledge. Although creating common ground can occur through formal committees with specific objectives and areas of study, it often takes place through forums, roundtables, and symposia that provide opportunities for serendipitous discovery, mutual exchange, and critical, cross-disciplinary thinking.

The IOM holds symposia, sometimes called summits or workshops, to foster awareness or focus attention on important issues, or to help broaden awareness about a recently released IOM report. In July 2010, for example, the IOM held a 2-day public workshop on emerging research needs for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (commonly referred to as the WIC Program), in response to a request from the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service. In another example, the IOM assembled thought leaders in October 2010 to examine the critical needs and gaps in understanding prevention, amelioration, and resolution of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.

Forums and roundtables offer a different approach, by drawing together an array of stakeholders interested in a broad area of health science or public policy for a long-term, dialogue. Members of forums and roundtables typically include experts from the scientific and practice communities; leaders from government, academia, and industry; and representatives of consumer and public interest groups, among others.

These gatherings are intended to illuminate issues through discussion and debate across sectors and institutions rather than to resolve a particular issue or make specific, actionable recommendations. Bringing together these individuals can create the shared knowledge, trust, and understanding necessary to foster progress in the most contentious areas of health and science policy.

Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×

Food Forum

Since 1993, the Food Forum of the Food and Nutrition Board has engaged scientists, administrators, and policy makers from academia, government, industry, and public sectors on an ongoing basis to discuss problems and issues related to food, food safety, and regulation, as well as identifying possible approaches for addressing those problems and issues. The dialogue established during meetings deals with emerging issues in the broad areas of food science, food safety, and nutrition, including technologies and regulations. Most recently, the forum has held workshops on diverse issues including the safety of imported foods and the effect that technological advances in the food system could have on obesity.

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Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation

The Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation, created in 2005 by the Board on Health Sciences Policy, provides an opportunity for leaders from government, academia, industry, and other stakeholder groups to discuss ongoing and emerging issues in pharmacology. The forum brings ongoing attention and visibility to important issues in drug development; explores new approaches for resolving problem areas; helps define the scope of the field and thus sets the stage for future policy action; provides a catalyst for collaboration on topics where there is synergy among potential partners; and elevates the general understanding of drug discovery, development, and translation among the research, public policy, and broader communities. The forum recently has considered a vast array of issues, ranging from drug regulation and regulatory decision making to medical countermeasures during public health emergencies. In addition, the forum is collaborating with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the NIH to develop a series of international meetings on multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Meetings in Russia and South Africa took place in 2010, and a meeting took place in India in April 2011.

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Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×

Forum on Global Violence Prevention

Violence—for example, child abuse, intimate partner violence, elder abuse, sexual violence, gang violence, and suicide—is a major public health problem worldwide. In 2001, violence accounted for 45 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the largest burden. But violence can be prevented. The IOM’s Forum on Global Violence Prevention, established in 2010, works to reduce violence worldwide by promoting research on both protective and risk factors and encouraging evidence-based prevention efforts. The forum aims to facilitate dialogue and exchange by bringing together experts from all areas of violence prevention, including behavioral scientists, policy makers, criminal justice professionals, social service providers, economists, legal experts, journalists, philanthropists, faith-based organizations, and corporate social responsibility officers. Recent workshops have explored the social and economic costs of violence as well as violence against women and children.

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Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Catastrophic Events

The Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Catastrophic Events, established in 2007, focuses on strengthening the nation’s medical and public health preparedness for acts of terrorism or natural disasters by improving communication and the coordination of activities among federal, state, and local government agencies as well as private-sector groups. Most recently, the forum held workshops that considered the 2009 H1N1 pandemic vaccination campaign, examined medical and public health preparedness and response in rural and frontier settings, and, in a workshop cosponsored with the Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation, discussed methods to improve how medical countermeasures are developed, tested, and approved.

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Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×

Forum on Microbial Threats

The Forum on Microbial Threats—formerly called the Forum on Emerging Infections, which was established in 1996—considers issues related to the prevention, detection, and management of infectious diseases. The forum’s membership includes individuals from a range of disciplines and organizations in the public and private sectors, including the public health, medical, pharmaceutical, veterinarian, plant pathology, academic science, agricultural, national security, and environmental communities. In recent years, forum dialogues have illuminated priorities in infectious disease research and public health policy; the use of new scientific and policy tools; and opportunities for more effective collaboration between the private and the public sectors. Recent workshops have focused on the science and policy implications of neglected tropical diseases, the recent emergence of multidrug-resistant “superbugs,” and the threat of fungal diseases.

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Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders

Established in 2006, the Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders brings together leaders from private-sector sponsors and users of biomedical and clinical research, federal agencies sponsoring and regulating research, private foundations, the academic community, and public and consumer groups. The forum focuses on building partnerships to understand the brain and nervous system and disorders in their structure and function, as well as sharing effective clinical prevention and treatment strategies. The forum concentrates on six main areas: nervous system disorders, mental illness and addiction, the genetics of nervous system disorders, cognition and behavior, modeling and imaging, and ethical and social issues. Recent workshops have focused on a diverse array of topics, including the implications of recent cutbacks by top pharmaceutical companies in drug development for central nervous system disorders, and growth opportunities for the field,

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Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×

including Representative Patrick Kennedy’s “moon shot” effort to increase the funding and coordination of neuroscience research.

National Cancer Policy Forum

The National Cancer Policy Forum was established in 2005 to succeed the National Cancer Policy Board, which was formed in 1997. The forum considers a range of issues in science, clinical medicine, public health, and public policy relevant to the goals of preventing, palliating, and curing cancer. Its objectives are to identify emerging high-priority policy issues in the nation’s effort to combat cancer and to examine those issues through convening activities that promote discussion about potential opportunities for action. These activities inform stakeholders about critical policy issues through published reports, and they often provide input for planning formal IOM consensus committee studies. The forum has held recent workshops on patient-centered cancer treatment planning and on technological advances in cancer research and care delivery.

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Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine

Established in 1998, the Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine brings together stakeholders from government, academia, industry, and environmental groups to discuss sensitive and difficult issues related to environmental health. Since its inception, the roundtable has focused on the state of environmental health science, research gaps, and policy implications. The roundtable has moved toward an increasingly global perspective in its discussions on nanotechnology, the interrelationship between trade and health, and corporate social responsibility in environmental health. It is currently examining issues of domestic and international importance such as climate change, sustainable drinking water, transportation-related energy use, and environmental health decision making.

Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×

Roundtable on Health Literacy

The Roundtable on Health Literacy was created in 2004, in response to the IOM report Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion, which found that nearly half of all American adults—90 million people—have difficulty understanding and using health information. The roundtable’s mission is to support the evolution of the field of health literacy by translating research findings to practical strategies that can be implemented. To achieve this mission, the roundtable brings together leaders from academia, industry, government, foundations, and patient and consumer groups who have an interest and role in improving health literacy to discuss challenges facing health literacy practice and research, and to identify approaches to promote health literacy through mechanisms and partnerships in both the public and private sectors. Recent workshops have included a discussion on the Food and Drug Administration’s Safe Use Initiative as well as a workshop to discuss how research and information technology can help improve health literacy.

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Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity and the Elimination of Health Disparities

The Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity and the Elimination of Health Disparities focuses on issues related to the visibility of racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care as a national problem, the development of programs and strategies to reduce disparities, and the need to encourage new leadership in a variety of fields. Roundtable members include experts from the health and social sciences, industry, and the community. Recent roundtable workshops included a discussion of the factors that influence life expectancy in the United States and a workshop on the effects of healthcare reform and the need for a more diverse healthcare workforce to serve the expected influx of patients from underserved communities of color.

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Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×

Roundtable on Translating Genomic-Based Research for Health

The Roundtable on Translating Genomic-Based Research for Health brings together leaders from academia, industry, government, foundations, and associations who have a mutual interest in the translation of genomic-based research. The mission of the roundtable is to advance the field of genomics and improve the translation of research findings to health care, education, and policy. Translating genomic innovations involves many disciplines, and it takes place within different economic, social, and cultural contexts, necessitating a need for increased communication and understanding across these fields. The ramifications of genomic innovations extend to clinical utility, economic implications, equal access, and public perspectives. The roundtable fosters dialogue across sectors and institutions and fosters collaboration among stakeholders.

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Roundtable on Value & Science-Driven Health Care

The Roundtable on Value & Science-Driven Health Care, established in 2006 as the Roundtable on Evidence-Based Medicine, provides a trusted venue for national leaders in health care to work cooperatively toward their common commitment to effective, innovative health care that consistently adds value to patients and society. Members include clinicians, patients, healthcare organizations, employers, manufacturers, insurers, health information technologists, researchers, and policy makers. As leaders in their fields, roundtable members work with their colleagues to identify and engage the key challenges and opportunities for achieving better outcomes and greater value in health care. They then marshal the energy and resources of their respective sectors to work for sustained public-private cooperation.

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The work of the roundtable is conducted through two types of activities. The first type is accelerating understanding and progress toward

Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×

the roundtable’s vision of a learning health system, in which science, informatics, incentives, and culture are aligned for continuous improvement and innovation—with best practices seamlessly embedded in the delivery process and new knowledge captured as an integral by-product of the delivery experience. The second type of activity is the fostering of cooperative projects through the work of five stakeholder innovation collaboratives focused on (1) best clinical practices, (2) communication of medical evidence, (3) clinical effectiveness research, (4) health information technology, and (5) incentives for value in health care.

Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×
Page 139
Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×
Page 140
Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×
Page 141
Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×
Page 142
Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×
Page 143
Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×
Page 144
Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×
Page 145
Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×
Page 146
Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
×
Page 147
Suggested Citation:"The Value of Collaboration: IOM's Role as a Convener." Institute of Medicine. 2011. Informing the Future: Critical Issues in Health, Sixth Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13180.
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Page 148
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This report illustrates the work of IOM committees in selected, major areas in recent years, followed by a description of IOM's convening and collaborative activities and fellowship programs. The last section provides a comprehensive bibliography of IOM reports published since 2007.

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