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. 2013 Dec;36(4):478-91.
doi: 10.1177/0163278713499587. Epub 2013 Aug 7.

Estimating return on investment in translational research: methods and protocols

Kyle L Grazier  1 , William M Trochim, David M Dilts, Rosalind Kirk
Affiliations

Estimating return on investment in translational research: methods and protocols

Kyle L Grazier et al. Eval Health Prof. 2013 Dec.

Abstract

Assessing the value of clinical and translational research funding on accelerating the translation of scientific knowledge is a fundamental issue faced by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its Clinical and Translational Awards (CTSAs). To address this issue, the authors propose a model for measuring the return on investment (ROI) of one key CTSA program, the clinical research unit (CRU). By estimating the economic and social inputs and outputs of this program, this model produces multiple levels of ROI: investigator, program, and institutional estimates. A methodology, or evaluation protocol, is proposed to assess the value of this CTSA function, with specific objectives, methods, descriptions of the data to be collected, and how data are to be filtered, analyzed, and evaluated. This article provides an approach CTSAs could use to assess the economic and social returns on NIH and institutional investments in these critical activities.

Keywords: ROI; evaluation; return on research investment.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Estimating the ROI: process steps. ROI = return on investment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) ROI financial flows. (b) Categories of financial flows. ROI = return on investment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) ROI financial flows. (b) Categories of financial flows. ROI = return on investment.
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