Oncology Nurse Appointed to PCORI Board of Governors
As the U.S. government’s arm of patient-centered research, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research institute (PCORI) is driving new initiatives and opportunities focused on unlocking novel treatment methods and cutting-edge interventions to better care for patients. On September 24, 2018, PCORI announced its new Board of Governors (https://www.gao.gov/press/pcori_2018sep.htm), naming ONS member Christopher Friese, PhD, RN, AOCN®, FAAN, as the agency’s first nursing research representative to hold a seat on the board.
“Every day, oncology nurses put patients and their loved ones at the center of care,” Friese said. “I want to bring that lens to the PCORI Board of Governors, so that we are supporting and disseminating research that matters most to patients. We have an opportunity and an obligation to improve how we deliver care, and I'm excited to bring the oncology nurse’s voice to help PCORI advance that mission.”
As an oncology nurse researcher and professor of nursing at the University of Michigan, Friese has led a career of patient-centered research and looks to inform PCORI from a nursing and patient perspective. Currently, Friese is the leader of an interprofessional team of researchers at the University of Michigan who are aiming to improve the quality and safety of cancer care for patients.
“Friese’s appointment to the PCORI Board of Governors is a testament to his career and accomplishments as an oncology nurse scientist and educator,” ONS Chief Executive Officer Brenda Nevidjon, MSN, RN, FAAN, said. “As the only nurse selected to the board, his perspective and research experience will be an invaluable addition to PCORI as the institute determines its future course of action. His role on the board signals the continued importance of including nurses in the conversation when it comes to patient-centered research and care.”
An active member of ONS advocacy efforts, Friese has worked with congressional leaders (https://voice.ons.org/advocacy/honoring-the-legacy-of-retiring-congresswoman-lois-capps-rn) on health policy issues important to the oncology nursing profession and the goal of advancing patient care. Moreover, his research literature has been published in ONS’s Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing (https://onf.ons.org/heart-failure-and-long-term-survival-among-older-women-breast-cancer), and his contributions for writing earned him ONS’s 2015 Rose Mary Carroll-Johnson Distinguished Award for Consistent Contribution to Nursing Literature. In 2005, Friese and his team received ONS’s Excellence in Oncology Nursing-Sensitive Patient Outcomes award for their work impacting positive outcomes for patients with cancer.
As the author of more than 70 peer-reviewed publications, Friese has served as both principal investigator and coinvestigator on countless research initiatives. Previously, Friese worked as a staff nurse at leading cancer centers throughout the country, including the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins Hospital.