Center for Clinical Translational Research

  What is Clinical Translational Research?

• health care access and disease management
• processes of care delivery
• health care cost-effectiveness
• intermediate and long-term patient outcomes
• patient centered approach to providing care 

• promote quality health care delivery through translational research

• identify the most effective ways to organize, manage, finance and deliver high quality care
• reduce medical errors
• improve patient safety

Billings Clinic established the Center for Clinical Translational Research (CTR) in 1999 to help promote healthier living and to improve the management of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that affect us as we age.

The Center for Clinical Translational Research works together with local health care facilities, health care professionals and health agencies to coordinate care. This ensures the most current appropriate medical information and resources are available for those who live in either urban or rural Montana.

Telemedicine is a system of health care delivery in which physicians and other health care professionals examine patients at a distant location through the use of telecommunications technology. Through this technology, the Center for Clinical Translational Research works with the Eastern Montana Telemedicine Network (EMTN) to connect rural community health care professionals and patients with consulting specialties and chronic disease education offerings. The Center for Clinical Translational Research has linked with numerous rural communities to conduct studies using this technology.