NCMHD Administrative Supplements for Telehealth/Telemedicine

Notice Number: NOT-MD-08-005

Key Dates
Release Date: May 27, 2008
Receipt Date: July 1, 2008
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: September 30, 2008

Issued by
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) (http://www.ncmhd.nih.gov)

Purpose

The National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) announces the availability of funds to supplement active, eligible NCMHD-funded grants (P20, P60 and R24) to support innovative health disparities research in telehealth/telemedicine.

Background

History and Role of the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD)

The mission of the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) is to promote minority health and to lead, coordinate, support, and assess the NIH effort to reduce and ultimately eliminate health disparities. In this effort NCMHD will conduct and support basic, clinical, social, and behavioral research, promote research infrastructure and training, foster emerging programs, disseminate information, and reach out to minority and other health disparity communities The NIH defines health disparities as differences in the incidence, prevalence, morbidity, mortality, and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups (See, http://www.nih.gov/about/hd/strategicplan.pdf, page 7). The specific population groups are African Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, subpopulations of all of the above, and medically underserved populations (i.e., socio-economically disadvantaged individuals in rural and urban areas).

The Federal Government’s Commitment to Telehealth and Telemedicine

The Federal government has had a long commitment to the use of telehealth/telemedicine and has an Office for the Advancement of Telehealth in the Office of Health Information Technology at the Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). More information about this office and its activities can be found at the following link: http://www.hrsa.gov/telehealth/default.htm.

Within their 2001 Report to Congress on Telemedicine (http://www.hrsa.gov/telehealth/pubs/report2001.htm), there are definitions of telehealth and telemedicine which should provide some direction on the type of research project that this supplement would support. These definitions are:

(1) Telehealth - the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support and promote long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health, and health administration.

(2) Telemedicine - The use of electronic communication and information technologies to provide or support clinical care at a distance. Included in this definition are patient counseling, case management, and supervision/preceptorship of rural medical residents and health professions students when such supervising/precepting involves direct patient care.

NCMHD views the use of telehealth/telemedicine as an innovative strategy to reduce and eliminate health disparities, targeting one of the following health disparity priority populations: rural, Alaska Natives, American Indians, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, African Americans, Hispanic Americans or Asian Americans. Please note that this not a comprehensive listing of all priority populations that could benefit from telehealth/telemedicine; therefore, the applicant is encouraged to consider and justify how other health disparity populations could benefit from this administrative supplement.

Objectives

To supplement active, eligible NCMHD-funded grants ( P20, P60 and R24) to support innovative health disparities research in telehealth/telemedicine.

Special Requirements

Budget and Administration

For FY 2008, NCMHD intends to provide administrative supplements on health disparities research in telehealth/telemedicine to approximately three active, eligible NCMHD funded grants (P20, P60 and R24) depending on availability of funds. The existing grant must have at least two years remaining at the time that the supplement is awarded. Supplements up to $300,000 in direct cost a year may be requested for up to two years. Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs will be paid at the full, negotiated rate. The supplement may not extend beyond the project period of the parent grant.

Administrative supplements will undergo a program, grants management and budget review within NCMHD. Administrative supplements may be submitted at any time, but no later than July 1, 2008. It is anticipated that supplemental funding will begin no later than September 30, 2008.

Post-Award Requirements

A two-page progress report addressing the results of the supplement-funded activities will be required. It should be included as an addition to the next progress report of the parent grant submitted after the completion of each supplement’s budget period.

Application Procedures

Grantees wishing to apply for a supplement should submit an application (an original and three copies) that includes the following:

  1. A cover letter citing the NOTICE, NOT-MD-08-005, and requesting an administrative supplement.

  2. The PHS-398 grant application form must be used to request an administrative supplement. Page 1 of the PHS-398 grant application form must include the signatures of the PI and an authorized institutional budget office official. In Line 2, insert "ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENTS for NCMHD Telehealth/Telemedicine".

  3. A brief proposal describing the project, including:
    1. Specific aims of the parent grant (indicate the grant number);
    2. Specific aims of the proposed NCMHD telehealth/telemedicine research project. The proposed supplement must be within the scope of the peer-reviewed activities and aims approved within the parent grant;
    3. An abstract of the proposed NCMHD telehealth/telemedicine research project;
    4. A detailed research plan of the NCMHD telehealth/telemedicine research project including:
      1. Priority populations served
      2. Diseases or clinical conditions to be addressed
      3. Research study design and methods
      4. A detailed evaluation plan
      5. A plan for further investigation and acquisition for future funding after the two- year funding ends
    5. Budget with justifications; and
    6. Biographical sketches of all key personnel.

4. The maximum length of the entire proposal without appendices is 15 pages.

Send the original application and three copies to NCMHD. Do not send these materials to CSR.

Send by U.S. postal mail to:

NCMHD Telehealth/Telemedicine Administrative Supplements
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities
National Institutes of Health
6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 800
Bethesda MD 20892-5465

Inquiries

Inquiries concerning this notice are encouraged. The opportunity to clarify issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome.

Direct your questions about programmatic issues to:

Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, FACP, FAAP
Director, Office of Innovation and Program Coordination
National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities
National Institutes of Health
6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 800, MSC 5465
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-5465
Phone: 301-402-1366
FAX: 301-480-4049
E-mail: rheekb@mail.nih.gov

Direct your questions about fiscal matters to:

Priscilla Grant, JD, CRA
Chief Grants Management Officer
Division of Extramural Activities & Scientific Programs
National Center on Minority Health & Health Disparities
National Institutes of Health
6707 Democracy Blvd., Suite 800, MSC 5465
Bethesda, MD 20892-5465
Phone: 301-402-1366
FAX: 301-480-4049
E-mail: grantp@mail.nih.gov