Integrated Research

Examining the complex dynamics of medicine, health, flourishing, suffering and resilience within the framework of community.

Utilizing the metrics below, we are conducting a mixed methods, explanatory sequential design, prospective, observational study in three health centers, posting the results quarterly.

The four surveys utilized are below.

The Philosophy of Research follows.

 

Philosophy of Research

What are the primary goals of conducting research within our clinic structure?

  1. Our primary goal is that research conducted within our clinics will be specifically for the spiritual and physical benefits of our patients. 

  2. Our secondary goal is that our research will encourage like-minded clinical research and operations in the faithful, Christ-centered practice of medicine, thereby serving for the upbuilding and edification (οἰκοδομή) of their patients and staff.


What are the criteria by which we evaluate and ultimately approve research projects?

  1. The justification for any research carried out in our clinics will not be the goal of publication (and, as such, personal academic advancement).

  2. Rather, the burden of the researcher(s) will be to demonstrate how their particular project benefits the patient and/or edifies the staff. 

  3. As such, the approval/denial of a proposal will be based on these two criteria and determined by a committee selected from every level of the clinic structure, specifically including a representative from the providers (both medical and behavioral health), nursing staff, patient population and the clinic board. 

How do we assess the effectiveness of our research?

  1. Every research project will provide a concrete timeline of the length of the study.

  2. The evaluation of the ongoing efficacy of each research project will occur annually.

  3. The evaluation will involve two dimensions: That of the researcher and that of the researchee. 

    1. For the researcher, this will require demonstration to the committee on an annual basis of how each year of data is moving towards the two aforementioned criteria: The spiritual and physical benefit of the patient; and the edification of the staff.

    2. For the patient population under research, this will involve an anonymous survey given randomly to 2% of the studied population eliciting their experience in the study and its relation to the criteria of the research.

    3. The above results will then be presented to the committee for annual approval of the study project.