Merck Foundation Announces the Alliance to Advance Patient-Centered Cancer Care, a $15 Million Initiative to Improve Access to High-Quality Cancer Care in Underserved Communities in the United States
May 23, 2016 8:00 am ET
Merck Foundation Accepting Applications from Non-Profit Organizations
The Merck Foundation announced today the launch of a new initiative, the Alliance
to Advance Patient-Centered Cancer Care (the Alliance), to support
programs aimed at improving timely access to patient-centered care and
reduce disparities in cancer care, especially for vulnerable and
underserved populations in the United States. Non-profit organizations
in the United States are invited to apply for an Alliance grant
to support the implementation of multi-faceted cancer care programs to
strengthen patient-provider communications, including patient engagement
and patient-centered treatment planning; enhance care coordination and
integration; improve patient outcomes, and build sustainable
partnerships that advance patient-centered cancer care and help reduce
disparities in access to high-quality care for underserved communities.
“Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, access to high-quality
cancer care continues to be challenging for some patients in the United
States, especially those in vulnerable and underserved communities,”
said Dr. Julie Gerberding, executive vice president, strategic
communications, global public policy and population health, Merck and
chief executive officer, Merck Foundation. “We are optimistic that the
learnings from the Alliance’s activities will bring forward new
approaches in the delivery of cancer care that can be implemented
throughout the health care system.”
As part of the new initiative, the Merck Foundation and its partners
will also work with the awardees, which may include public/private
institutions, cancer centers, oncology medical homes and other
community-based and non-governmental agencies, to evaluate the
grant-supported programs and identify best practices in patient-centered
care.
Interested organizations can learn more about the application process,
eligibility requirements, guidance for proposed interventions, and
deadlines from the Merck Foundation’s Call for Proposals on our website.
Invited proposals will be evaluated by an external advisory committee
based on specific criteria. Proposed programs must implement
cross-cutting interventions that address multiple cancer types;
integrate intervention components at different levels of the healthcare
ecosystem: patient, provider/health care team, and health care system;
incorporate scientific evidence-based or promising practices, and build
meaningful collaborations with community partners to promote sustainable
improvements in cancer care delivery and quality. The Alliance
will be supported by the Merck Foundation for up to $15 million over
five years. Awardees will be announced in early 2017.
About The Merck Foundation
The Merck Foundation is a U.S.-based, private charitable foundation.
Established in 1957 by Merck, a global health care leader, the
Foundation is funded entirely by the company and is Merck’s chief source
of funding support to qualified non-profit charitable organizations.
Since its inception, the Merck Foundation has contributed more than $844
million to support important initiatives that address societal needs and
are consistent with Merck’s overall mission to help the world be well.
For more information, visit www.merckgiving.com.
Media:
Lainie Keller, 908-236-5036
or
Courtney Ronaldo, 908-236-1108
or
Investors:
Teri Loxam, 908-740-1986
or
Justin Holko, 908-740-1879
