Practice-based research network

Before there were research institutes or networks of practices, there were individual practitioners who studied their patients' problems with scientific rigor. Among these were five general practitioners who have been recognized for their seminal work during the past 125 years. They are James Mackenzie, Will Pickles, John Fry, F.J.A. Huygen and Curtis G. Hames. Each of these pioneers demonstrated that important new knowledge could be discovered by practicing family physicians. And this is far from an accepted principle in the United States. These doctors all wondered about their patients' problems and they developed a means of gathering and recording data on their patients.

Each of these research pioneers provide inspiration for the development of practice-based, primary care research networks because each demonstrated that important new knowledge could be discovered by the practicing family doctor. They each wondered about their patients, developed means of gathering and recording data, and found collaborators and support from their staff and local communities. Unfortunately, they practiced in an era that was over-committed to specialism. Research focused on molecular mechanisms of disease. The rush to specialization by the medical community and the linking of research to specialists resulted in decades of neglect of primary care and virtually no recognition of the need to investigate care in the primary care setting. Instead, the common wisdom viewed primary care practices as relatively boring places that could be potential sites of application of the fruits of research done elsewhere in research laboratories, hospitals and institutes.[1]

Among the early regional networks started in the 1970s were the Family Medicine Information System in Colorado (FMIS)[2] and the Cooperative Information Project.[3] These regional networks learned from each other and succeeded in conducting studies focused on what was happening in primary care. They attracted funding from medical schools, national philanthropic foundations and federal programs such as Health for Underserved Rural Areas. As the 1970s closed, these early networks enjoyed sufficient success to stimulate debate about the next steps in the context of the microcomputer's development. Among them was a small group convened by Gene Farley in Denver in 1978 to consider establishing a national sentinel practice system. It was this idea that lead to the Ambulatory Sentinel Practice Network and provided in retrospect what appears to have been a nidus for the establishment of primary care PBRNs in the United States.

PBRNs are feasible and that represent a useful infrastructure for the scientific discovery of family practice and primary care. Experience to date points out the great advantages enjoyed by those with enduring, core financial support—such as the Dutch with their early national commitment to primary care and their willingness to invest in primary care research. It is also obvious that these networks require collaboration, cooperation and a spirit of sharing and trust.

These networks are now at once both a place and a concept. As a place, they are a laboratory for surveillance and research. As a concept, they express the still unmet need for practicing primary care clinicians to accept responsibility to improve frontline clinical care by understanding what is happening in their practices. Successes to date have been sufficient to incite the Institute of Medicine's 1994 committee studying the future of primary care to recommend support to stabilize and expand practice-based primary care research networks.[4]

1. AAFP NRN – AAFP National Research Network Kansas
2. AANPNR – American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Network for Research Texas
3. ACCESSPBRN – ACCESSPBRN Illinois
4. ACCP PBRN – American College of Clinical Pharmacy Practice-Based Research Network Kansas
5. ACERN – Ambulatory Care Evaluation and Research Network New York
6. ACORN – Virginia Ambulatory Care Outcomes Research Network Virginia
7. ACPNet – ACPNet Pennsylvania
8. APBRN – Alabama Practice Based Research Network Alabama
9. APN-ARC – Advanced Practice Nurse-Ambulatory Research Consortium Ohio
10. APPD LEARN – Association of Pediatric Program Directors Longitudinal Educational Assessment Research Network Virginia
11. ARCHNAP St. Louis Ambulatory Care Research Consortium for Nurses in Advanced Practice Missouri
12. AT-PBRN – Athletic Training Practice-Based Research Network Arizona
13. ATSU SOMA PBRN – A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona PBRN Arizona
14. AppNET – The Appalachian Research Network Tennessee
15. ArkPBRN – Arkansas Practice Based Research Network Arkansas
16. BIGHORN – Building Investigative Practices for Better Health Outcomes Colorado
17. BWPC PBRN – Brigham and Women's Primary Care Practice-Based Research Network Massachusetts
18. BraveNet – The Bravewell Integrative Medicine Research Network North Carolina
19. C-AHEAD PBRN – Center for the Advancement of Healthcare Education and Delivery PBRN Colorado
20. CAARN - Community-Academic Aging Research Network (UW-Madison)
21. CAPRICORN – Capital Area Primary Care Research Network District of Columbia
22. CARinG Network – Cincinnati Area Research Group Network Ohio
23. CCPC – Connecticut Center for Primary Care Connecticut
24. CDN – Clinical Directors Network, Inc.[5] New York
25. COCONet – Colorado Child Outcomes Network Colorado
26. CORC – CAMHS Outcomes Research Consortium UK
27. CONCORD-PBRN – Consortium for Collaborative Osteopathic Research Development Practice-Based Research Network Texas
28. CORNET – Continuity Research Network Virginia
29. CPNet – Community Physician's Network Georgia
30. CSPC – Centre for Studies in Primary Care
31. CSRN – CLEAR Scoliosis Research Network Texas
32. CaReNet – Colorado Research Network Colorado
33. Cedars-Sinai PBRN-Cedars-Sinai Medical Delivery Network PBRN California
34. CenTexNet – Central Texas Primary Care Research Network Texas
35. DC PrimCare PBRN – District of Columbia Primary Care Practice-Based Research Network District of Columbia
36. DO-Touch.NET – Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine Treating with OMM: Usefulness in Current Healthcare Missouri
37. DesertNet – DesertNet Arizona Primary Care Research Network Arizona
38. E-CARE – Eastern Carolina Association for Research & Education North Carolina
39. EBD-PBRN – Evidence-Based Decisions in Dentistry Practice-Based Research Network California
40. EPICnet – Eastern Pennsylvania Inquiry Collaborative Network Pennsylvania
41. GR-PBRN – Greater Rochester Practice Research Network New York
42. GRIN – Great Lakes Research Into Practice Network Michigan
43. HCH PBRN – Health Care for the Homeless Practice Based Research Network Tennessee
44. HHR – Holistic Healthcare and Research Centre
45. HPRN – High Plains Research Network Colorado
46. HamesNet – HamesNet Georgia
47. Healthy Communities – Physicians of Southwest Washington Foundation for Quality Improvement Washington
48. ICPA PBRN – International Chiropractic Pediatric Association PBRN Pennsylvania
49. IDND – Indianapolis Discovery Network for Dementia Indiana
50. IFHRN – Institute for Family Health Research Network New York
51. IRENE – Iowa Research Network Iowa
52. ISRN-RN – Improvement Science Research Network Texas
53. JCCCR – Jefferson Coordinating Center for Clinical Research Pennsylvania
54. JDPBRN – Dental PBRN Japan
55. JHCP-PCRN – Johns Hopkins Community Physicians Primary Care Research Network Maryland
56. JaxHERO – Jacksonville Health Equity Research Organization Florida
57. KAN – Kentucky Ambulatory Network Kentucky
58. LA Net – LA Net Community Health Network California
59. LAC DHS ACN-R&I – Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Ambulatory Care Network – Research & Innovation California
60. La MAISON – Louisiana Medical Home Ambulatory Improvements and Outcomes Network Louisiana
61. Lutheran Network – Lutheran Family Health Center Network New York
62. MAFPRN – Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians Research Network Minnesota
63. MAPPR – Mecklenburg Area Partnership for Primary Care Research North Carolina
64. MASNRN – Massachusetts School Nurse Research Network Massachusetts
65. MCHS PBRN – Mayo Clinic Health System Practice Based Research Network Minnesota
66. MGPC-PBRN – Massachusetts General Primary Care Practice Based Research Network Massachusetts
67. MPCRN – Military Primary Care Research Network Maryland
68. MPPBRN – Minnesota Pharmacy Practice-Based Research Network Minnesota
69. MTN – MO Therapy Network Missouri
70. MedEdNet – Medical Education Research Network Oregon
71. Mercy – Sisters of Mercy Health System Network Missouri
72. MetroNet – Metropolitan Detroit Practice-based Research Network Michigan
73. NC MARCH – North Carolina Multisite Adolescent Research Consortium for Health North Carolina
74. NC-FM-RN – North Carolina Family Medicine Research Network North Carolina
75. NCCHRN – North Carolina Child Health Research Network North Carolina
76. NCnet - Combined PBRNS founded at UNC-Chapel Hill contains NC-FM-RN, NCCHRN, NC MARCH and RCPCrN
77. NECF PBRN – New England Clinicians Forum Practice-Based Research Network Connecticut
78. NEON – Northeastern Ohio Network Ohio
79. NFPCRN – North Florida Pediatric Community Research Network Florida
80. NIPC-PBRN – National Interdisciplinary Primary Care PBRN Iowa
81. NJPCRN – New Jersey Primary Care Research Network New Jersey
82. NP-PITTNet – NursePractitioner-PITTNet Pennsylvania
83. NYC RING – New York City Research & Improvement Networking Group New York
84. NYU-HHC CRA – New York University (NYU)-Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) Clinical Research Association (CRA) New York
85. National Dental PBRN – The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Alabama
86. NetHaven at Yale – NetHaven Practice Based Research Network Connecticut
87. NorTex – North Texas Primary Care Practice Based Research Network Texas
88. NorthShore PBRN – NorthShore Practice-Based Improvement Research Network Illinois
89. Northwest PRECEDENT – Northwest Practice-based REsearch Collaborative in Evidence-based DENTistry Washington
90. OCHRN – Oklahoma Child Health Practice Based Research Network Oklahoma
91. OKPRN – Oklahoma Physicians Resource/Research Network Oklahoma
92. ORPRN – Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network Oregon
93. OPTI-WestNet – OPTI-West Practice-Based Research Network Colorado
94. OQUIN – Outpatient Quality Improvement Network South Carolina
95. OSU-PCPBRN – Ohio State University Primary Care Practice Based Research Network Ohio
96. PAMFRI – Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute California
97. PBRN-VA – VA Mental Health Practice-Based Research Network Texas
98. PCRC – Duke Primary Care Research Consortium North Carolina
99. PDC PBRN – Pediatric Diagnostic Center PBRN California
100. PPOC – The Pediatric Physicians' Organization at Children's Massachusetts
101. PRN – Portland Research Network Oregon
102. PROS – Pediatric Research in Office Settings Illinois
103. PSARN – Penn State Ambulatory Research Network Pennsylvania
104. PeRC – The Pediatric Research Consortium Pennsylvania
105. Pediatric PittNet – Pediatric PittNet: University of Pittsburgh CTSI PBRN Pennsylvania
106. RAP – Research Association of Practices of the PBRN Shared Resource Ohio
107. RCPCrN – Robeson County Primary Care research Network North Carolina
108. REACH Network – Research and Education for Academic Achievement Network Illinois
109. RIOS NET – Research Involving Outpatient Settings Network New Mexico
110. Rx-SafeNet – Medication Safety Research Network of Indiana Indiana
111. SAFTINet – Scalable Architecture for Federated Translational Inquiries Network Colorado
112. SALT-Net – The Studying, Acting, Learning, and Teaching Network New York
113. SAPPHIRE – South Asian Practice Partnership for Health Improvement and Research New York
114. SCOR Network – Slone Center Office-based Research Network Massachusetts
115. SCPPRN – South Carolina Pediatric Practice Research Network South Carolina
116. SERCN – Southeast Regional Clinicians Network Georgia
117. SF Bay CRN – San Francisco Bay Collaborative Research Network California
118. SICTRN – Southeastern Integrated Clinical and Translational Research Network Florida
119. SIPRO – Southern Illinois Practice Research Organization Illinois
120. SOAR-Net – Southwestern Ohio Ambulatory Research Network Ohio
121. SPUR-Net – Southern Primary-care Urban Research Network Texas
122. SRN – ShowMe Research Network Missouri
123. STARNet – South Texas Ambulatory Research Network Texas
124. STOHN – South Texas Oral Health Network Texas
125. STP PBRN – South Texas Psychiatric Practice-Based Research Network Texas
126. SWIRLNet – South West Innovative Research and Learning Network Colorado
127. Safety Net West – Safety Net West Oregon
128. South Asian PBRN – South Asian PBRN
129. Southeast Wisconsin Alliance for Translating Research into Practice – Southeast Wisconsin Alliance for Translating Research into Practice Wisconsin
130. TAMHSC-RCHI – Texas A&M Health Science Center Rural and Community Health Institute Texas
131. The Dartmouth CO-OP Project – Dartmouth-Northern New England CO-OP Project New Hampshire
132. UCLA PCRN – UCLA Primary Care Research Network California
133. UMASS-FM-PBRN – UMass Family Medicine PBRN Massachusetts
134. UNYNET – Upstate New York Practice Based Research Network New York
135. UT Pharm Net – University of Tennessee Pharmacist Practice Based Research Network Tennessee
136. UUPCRN – Utah Health Research Network Utah
137. VCMCDDCP – Ventura County Medical Center Diabetes Data Control Project Practice Based California
138. WPRN – WWAMI region Practice and Research Network Washington
139. WREN – Wisconsin Research and Education Network Wisconsin
140. WU PAARC – Washington University Pediatric and Adolescent Ambulatory Research Consortium Missouri
141. WesTRN – West Texas Research Network Texas

• North American Primary Care Research Group
• Oklahoma Physician Research /Resource Network
• Practice Partner Research Network
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality – PBRN Programs
• International Federation of Primary Care Research Networks
• National Research Network – American Academy of Family Physicians