Episode Description
Most clinicians are trained in research, yet very few clinical practices consistently produce it. Why? In this special solo episode, Jason Luoma steps away from the interviewer role to explore one of the biggest structural barriers to clinician-led research: incentives. Traditional fee-for-service models reward billable hours, often leaving little time for the deep thinking, writing, and collaboration that meaningful research requires.
Drawing on the experience of building Portland Psychotherapy as a clinical research social enterprise, Jason shares a practical framework for designing organizations where research is not an afterthought but a core function. He explains how changing financial structures, organizational policies, and workplace culture can create protected time for scientific discovery while maintaining a thriving clinical practice.
Whether you’re leading a private practice, directing a research clinic, or simply wondering how to better integrate science into clinical work, this episode offers concrete ideas that can be adapted to organizations of many sizes.
In this episode, you’ll learn…
- Why fee-for-service reimbursement unintentionally discourages research productivity
- How a clinical social enterprise differs from a traditional private practice
- Why protected research time must be built into organizational incentives—not left to individual motivation
- How financial policies can sustainably fund research without relying on grants alone
- Why organizational culture is just as important as budgeting when supporting scientific work
- Three practical changes you can begin implementing immediately to strengthen research within your clinic
Tips from the episode
On aligning incentives with research…
- Design systems that reward research instead of expecting it to happen during spare time.
- Protect research time with salaried, non-swappable blocks.
- Build research funding directly into your organization’s financial model.
On creating sustainable research organizations…
- Write clear organizational policies that prioritize research, training, and community impact.
- Review your research funding strategy annually and adjust as your organization grows.
- Let financial decisions serve your mission rather than define it.
On building a research culture…
- Hire people who share your organization’s values.
- Foster autonomy, purpose, learning, and belonging throughout the workplace.
- Invest in internal grants, mentoring, and professional development to encourage innovation.
Practical takeaways
- Write two policy statements that formally protect research within your organization.
- Establish one recurring, protected research block on your calendar this week.
- Choose one cultural change that strengthens research and commit to implementing it this quarter.
Links from this Episode:
- LeJeune, J.T. & Luoma, J.B. (2017). Using social enterprise concepts to create a sustainable culture to fund research in a fee-for-service setting . In R.T. Codd (Ed.), Practice-Based Research: A Guide for Clinicians. Routledge Press.
- LeJeune, J.T., & Luoma, J.B. (2015). The Integrated Scientist-Practitioner: A New Model for Combining Research and Clinical Practice in Fee-For-Service Settings. Professional Psychology Research & Practice46(6), 421-428. Download here.
- Portland Psychotherapy’s Publications
- Portland Psychotherapy’s research lab page
Research Matters Podcast is hosted by Jason Luoma, who can be found on Twitter @jasonluoma or Facebook at: facebook.com/jasonluomaphd. You download the podcast through iTunes, Stitcher, or Spotify. Reach out with suggestions, questions, or comments to researchmatterspod@gmail.com
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