Richard Gershon, PhD
Vice Chair of Research and Professor of Medical Social Sciences
Northwestern University
Richard Gershon, PhD
Vice Chair of Research and Professor of Medical Social Sciences
Northwestern University
BIO
In response to the realization that the outcomes tools which I was using in clinical practice were outdated and failed to cover the needs of my patients, my career has increasingly focused on the development of modern assessment tools. I am continuously striving to find new ways to assess outcomes of treatment and methodologies to get that information into the hands of clinicians in a manner that can immediately impact treatment. As PI for the NIH Toolbox for the Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function I created and oversaw a team of over 235 researchers from around the world to create a large battery of instruments for clinical-investigators to assess various areas within cognitive, motor, sensory and emotional health, for longitudinal, clinical and comparative effectiveness research. Over the years and with requests from the NIH, my team has optimized existing and developed dozens of new PRO’s. I actively consult on numerous PRO projects on the behalf of PCORI and the FDA. In my role as Principal Investigator for the NIH Roadmap Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Technical Center, I have served as technology host for more than 2,000 researchers and clinicians who are registered users of AssessmentCenter.net – a test authoring and study administration portal which I created as part of PROMIS I and which now serves as the host for the web-based versions of many instrument systems. I am the PI for the project Advancing Reliable Measurement in Alzheimer’s Disease and cognitive Aging (ARMADA) to validate the NIH Toolbox amongst Alzheimer’s populations and older age groups, as well as for the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) PRO Measurement Core where our group recommends, develops and curates assessment delivery for over 80 sites. This background is further augmented by my role as a co-investigator and/or consultant on over 100 assessment development projects in health care, education and certification.