The Aetna Foundation released their “Call for Proposals” for their 2010 grant cycle. The grant program seeks national and regional partners to find better ways to improve the quality and delivery of health services for everyone. The funding is to address obesity, racial and ethnic healthcare equity, and integrated health care. Regional grant requests may not exceed $150,000 and national grants may not exceed $250,000.
In general, integrated care tries to repair a fractured healthcare system and eliminate gaps in shared information and communication that detract from patient safety and quality in healthcare.
The Aetna foundation believes that while the primary care provider is the key to integrating healthcare, more study is needed on how to achieve integrated care. The Foundation is looking for projects to demonstrate key components, best practices, and benefits that center on strong primary care.
Examples of grants to support projects in this area would:
• Explore the relationship between patient engagement and integrated care
• Enhance communication between patients and care providers as well as among care providers
• Investigate the impact of poor coordination on patient safety, quality, and costs
• Identify best methods for engaging patients as partners in their care particularly for managing chronic conditions
• Identify best practices to align incentives for achieving well-coordinated care
Within three program areas, Aetna will award grants in research and for projects that will test or disseminate new practices designed to improve health and healthcare. Aetna is also interested in projects that have the goal to analyze and promote policies to ensure that programs and practices are replicated and disseminated broadly.
Eligible applicants for the grants are nonprofit organizations but only organizations that are U.S based and only proposals that are national or regional will be considered.
The next date for applications to be accepted is May 15, 2010. For more information, go to http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=288000014 or go to www.aetna.com.
