Overview of the Spectrum of Care Clinical Research Program

The Clinical Research Program funds projects that identify and evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic protocols to reduce client costs without sacrificing quality health care. It seeks to provide primary care practitioners with additional tools to practice more broadly along the spectrum of care. The Program’s goal is to allow them to serve an economically diverse clientele while maintaining a practice that is professionally, emotionally, and financially rewarding.

Specifically, the Foundation seeks proposals that address common canine presentations and/or allow primary care practitioners to treat cases that he/she currently refers to specialists.

Proposals should meet the following criteria:

• Canine centric. While the research may benefit other companion animals, dogs must be the primary potential beneficiaries of a successful trial.

• Broad applicability. The idea must deal with diseases and conditions that are commonly seen in primary care practice either regionally (e.g. heartworm in the south) or nationally.

• Immediate applicability. If the trial is successful, must produce results that are immediately usable by primary care practitioners.

• Financially sustainable for private practitioner. While all successful proposals will test cost-reducing protocols, the protocol must, if adopted in a standard clinic setting, allow the primary care veterinarian to generate revenue over total expense specific to that protocol.

• No dollar minimums or maximums. The Foundation welcomes proposals of all sizes, from small proof-of-concept seed grants to large, multi-institution studies. However, larger grants must test a diagnostic or treatment protocol that would: a) have broad applicability and would be used frequently in primary care practice; and b) would provide a significant cost savings over ‘best option’ recommendations.

• Time horizon. Elapsed time from start to finish of the project must be no more than 24 months.