Sue Sheridan’s journey to become a patient advocate was shaped by two terrible encounters with the healthcare system. These experiences led her to the Advisory Board. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research InstituteIn this role, she ensures that patients’ voices and opinions are represented throughout the research process.
PCORI was established to help patients and their caregivers make better health care decisions. Information about the best practices in health care can improve outcomes, reduce errors, and make life easier for everyone.
“PCORI is an opportunity to focus on the health care questions that matter most to patients,”Sheridan stated. “Patients, their caregivers and clinicians don’t have reliable information for many of the decisions they face. Whether it is a choice between medications, screening tests or surgery versus other therapies, we’re too often left guessing about what the best option is.”
Cal, Sheridan’s 18-year-old son, suffered brain damage due to undiagnosed and untreated newborn jaundice. A test that costs less then a dollar could have detected and treated his condition. A test that found cancer in Sue’s husband was performed four years later. However, it was not reported to him nor his doctors. Three years later, he died from spinal cancer.
Sheridan has witnessed the worst that our healthcare system has to provide. Sheridan, a widow and mother-of-two, has dedicated her entire life to making it better.
“That’s why I joined PCORI,”Sheridan stated. “To advocate for the patient’s perspective in research, so we can get the answers that reflect our individual needs and preferences. Health care should be patient-centered, and the first step is transforming research.”
PCORI’s mission is centered on the patient’s involvement in research. Patients collaborate with others in the health care system to help them identify and prioritize research questions, evaluate research proposals, and participate in research teams.
“We are confident,”Sheridan stated, “that research guided by patients and other health care decision makers is more likely to produce results they can understand and effectively use to support decision making.”
Individuals can participate in PCORI’s work in many ways. You don’t need to have any prior knowledge of health care research or health care.
“PCORI wants suggestions for research questions from everyone,”Sheridan was also mentioned. “For our research reviewer program, we offer training so anyone can participate.”
You can find information on how you can participate in PCORI’s work through the organization’s website. www.pcori.org.
