About PBRNs

Primary care practice-based research networks (PBRNs) involve practicing clinicians in asking and answering clinical and organizational questions about primary health care. Recognizing the importance of this work, its power to better the wellness of all Americans, and the potential of these networks to appoint clinicians in quality improvement activities and an show-based civilization in primary care practice, AHRQ has developed its PBRN initiative.

Other resources include:

  • Introduction to AHRQ's PBRN initiative
  • PBRN Tools and Resources
  • PBRN Profiles
  • History and Funding of PBRNs
  • PBRN Briefing
  • Register Your PBRN

PBRN Goals

The goal of these PBRN pages is to:

  • Inform primary intendance researchers and PBRNs virtually the latest PBRN and primary care research news.
  • Inform persons nearly enquiry that has been and is being conducted in PBRNs.
  • Provide links to other sites that are useful for main intendance and PBRN research.
  • Provide back up in the form of presentations, documents, and data pertinent to PBRNs and their inquiry.
  • Provide mechanisms for PBRNs to collaborate with one some other.

PBRN Definition

AHRQ defines main care using the Plant of Medicines definition which is "Primary care is the provision of integrated, accessible wellness care services past clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the context of family unit and community."two AHRQ was designated in 1999 by Congress to "serve equally the primary source of funding for master care research in the Department of Health and Human being Services".i

Every bit part of its accuse, AHRQ has devoted funds to support primary care practice-based research networks (PBRNs). These are divers equally "a group of ambulatory practices devoted principally to the primary intendance of patients. Typically, PBRNs draw on the experience and insight of practicing clinicians to place and frame research questions whose answers can amend the practise of primary care. By linking these questions with rigorous inquiry methods, the PBRN can produce research findings that are immediately relevant to the clinician and, in theory, more easily assimilated into everyday practice".3

AHRQ has funded many PBRNs through targeted grant programs. While continuing to provide grant support AHRQ also supports networks past providing direct resources to PBRNs. Examples of the types of support provided:

  • PBRN Resource Center (RC)—An organization which provides technical support to primary care PBRNs. Support is provided in areas such equally PBRN enquiry methodology (including research blueprint, analytic strategies, and organizational evolution), Health It, and the maintenance of the network. The RC also functions to build the capacity of these networks past educating the networks in primary care enquiry and data collection all-time practices.
  • National Webinars—Presentations to assist researchers and support staff in topical areas such every bit PBRN operations, Quality Improvement Enquiry, Heath It, and Research Methodology. These opportunities for information commutation empower the participants through expert consulting and training to share and improve skills.
  • Annual PBRN Conference—A three-day annual meeting focused on the sharing of information related to primary care and PBRN research. Attendees have the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues and AHRQ program officers and learn about ongoing research in primary care.
  • PBRN Literature—A virtual library of enquiry conducted in primary care PBRNs. All citations must meet specific criteria to be included in the literature database. The PBRN Bibliography facilitates open access to enquiry and farther reduces the barriers to collaboration.
  • PBRN Registry—An online PBRN search repository of currently registered PBRNs. The search part is based on information PBRNs provide during the almanac registry process. This tool provides users the ability to identify collaborators or resources past: network membership type, current or past enquiry interests, and country(s) of operation.

For More than Data

For more information well-nigh AHRQ's Primary Intendance PBRN initiative, contact usa at PBRN@ahrq.hhs.gov.

Notes

  1. Healthcare Research and Quality Act of 1999, amendment to Title 9 of the Public Health Service Act (42 The statesC. 299 et seq.)
  2. Institute of Medicine. Primary Care: America's Health in a New Era. Donaldson MS, Yordy KD, Lohr KN, Vanselow NA, eds. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C 1996.
  3. Definition taken from AHRQ website.

Please Annotation: the information provided on these PBRN pages is designed to support, not to replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site company and his/her physician.

Page last reviewed January 2022

Page originally created September 2021

Cyberspace Citation: Nigh PBRNs. Content last reviewed January 2022. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
https://www.ahrq.gov/ncepcr/research-transform-primary-care/pbrn/index.html

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