mHealth Tools for Individuals with Chronic Conditions to Promote Effective Patient-Provider Communication, Adherence to Treatment and Self-Management (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PA 18 389

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 389

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity "mHealth Tools for Individuals with Chronic Conditions to Promote Effective Patient-Provider Communication, Adherence to Treatment and Self-Management (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number: PA 18 389) is designed to spur early-stage, innovative research on mobile health technologies that can help people better manage chronic diseases. The central idea is to use widely available mobile tools, especially smartphone-based approaches, to strengthen how patients and health care providers communicate, improve adherence to prescribed treatments, and support day-to-day self-management behaviors that can lead to better health outcomes.

This opportunity is grounded in the reality that cellular networks and smartphone capabilities have expanded rapidly, making it practical and relatively inexpensive to collect and transmit health data from patients in their homes or communities to clinicians or specialists who may be located far away. The announcement highlights the potential for patients to send information digitally from remote or underserved areas to urban-based specialists, receive timely feedback (including real-time feedback when appropriate), and store those interactions and data in a database that can be used to support ongoing care. In practice, that can mean tools that enable education and coaching, structured goal setting, treatment and appointment reminders, symptom and biometric tracking, and feedback loops that show patients their progress and give clinicians actionable information between visits.

NIH is specifically encouraging the development and testing of interventions that use mHealth technologies, and it places notable emphasis on applications that can improve the timeliness and effectiveness of patient-provider communication. While the focus is broad across chronic conditions, the unifying theme is behaviorally and clinically meaningful support: helping patients follow treatment plans, recognize and respond to changes in symptoms, communicate barriers to adherence, and collaborate with providers on achievable goals. The "Clinical Trial Optional" designation signals that applicants may propose studies that do or do not include a clinical trial, depending on what is appropriate for the stage of tool development and the research questions being addressed.

The grant uses the R21 mechanism, which is commonly intended for exploratory or developmental projects that can generate feasibility data, pilot evidence, or proof-of-concept results. The listed award ceiling is $200,000, reflecting the smaller, innovation-focused nature of this mechanism. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity categories include education and health. The CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity are 93.286 and 93.361. The original closing date shown in the source information is 2021-01-07, and the opportunity record lists a creation date of 2017-11-21.

Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of public and private organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations other than federally recognized governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The announcement also explicitly calls out additional eligible groups and settings, reflecting a clear interest in widening participation and encouraging research that reaches underserved populations. These additional eligible applicants include Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); faith-based or community-based organizations; eligible federal agencies; Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized; U.S. territories or possessions; regional organizations; and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).

Overall, the opportunity is aimed at accelerating practical, testable mHealth solutions that help patients and providers stay connected between clinic visits, reduce gaps in adherence and follow-through, and make chronic disease self-management more effective. It is particularly aligned with projects that can demonstrate that mobile tools are not just technically feasible, but meaningfully improve communication, engagement, and outcomes, including in communities that are often underserved by traditional health care access models.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "mHealth Tools for Individuals with Chronic Conditions to Promote Effective Patient-Provider Communication, Adherence to Treatment and Self-Management (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.286, 93.361.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-01-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PA 18 389

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