The Center on Health Services Training and Research (CoHSTAR) has opened a call for the development of multiple pilot studies that would help set the stage for larger efforts to advance a wide range of health services research. APTA was a major financial contributor to the development of CoHSTAR, having donated $1 million toward the center's startup in 2015.

The selected pilot studies would address research questions in CoHSTAR's 4 areas of specialization—analysis of large data sets, rehabilitation outcome measurement, cost-effectiveness, and implementation of science and quality improvement research—and the CoHSTAR Pilot Study Program webpage lists examples of specific types of studies that would qualify for funding. Each pilot study will receive $25,000 in funding for direct costs.

Priorities for funding will be given to applications that align with 1 of the 4 areas of CoHSTAR specialization, have a strong likelihood of leading to broader research with major external funding, and have good potential to result in future research with high societal or policy impact for physical therapy. Principal investigators must include at least 1 physical therapist (PT) who is a US citizen or a certified permanent resident of the United States.

Letters of intent are due to CoHSTAR by June 1, 2019. Based on those letters, in early July CoHSTAR will invite applicants to submit a full application by August 26. Award winners will be notified on October 15. For more information, visit the CoHSTAR Pilot Study Program webpage.

CoHSTAR was established with a Foundation for Physical Therapy Research grant of $2.5 million. In addition to APTA’s $1 million donation, funding for CoHSTAR also came from APTA components, individual PTs, foundations, and corporate supporters.