The University of Chicago Medicine has made huge strides in growing its ambulatory care capacity. The growth of this practice network is an important research opportunity for the University of Chicago. Outpatient practices are a potential source of patients for both observational studies as well as traditional clinical trials. Practices can also serve as units of analysis for pragmatic trials comparing different care protocols and organizational structure.

With the availability of more ambulatory practices at the University of Chicago, we now have an opportunity to study the patients we actually care for and the practices that we work in, fulfilling the vision of a learning health care system.

The Center for Chronic Disease Research and Policy is proud to lead the development of the new UChicago Practice-Based Research Network (UC-PBRN).

Research network before UC-PBRN

Research network with UC-PBRN

Our Mission

The mission of the University of Chicago Practice-Based Research Network (UC-PBRN) is to improve the health of patients and communities by collaboratively investigating ambulatory healthcare questions and translating research findings into practice.

Our Objectives

• Develop and sustain infrastructure for ambulatory research.
• Provide opportunities for healthcare providers to develop necessary research skills for clinical research in ambulatory care practice.
• Generate funded research and publish results to support the practice of evidence-based medicine
• Leverage the expertise of healthcare providers to guide the research and extend the expertise of researchers.

Our functions

• Serve as liaison between clinic sites and UChicago investigators for the purpose of conducting research.
• Be a community-based primary care research laboratory.
• Streamline research requests (ease burden on clinics); manage logistics
• Ensure non-contamination of co-existing projects (including QI efforts)

Benefits to Physicians

• Collaboration, sense of community with University of Chicago
• Additional source of career fulfillment
• Intellectual stimulation and learning
• Improving patient care
• Giving back to the discipline
• Contributing to the evidence base of ambulatory care practice

What We Offer

• Assistance with study design
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Clinic site coordination and logistic support
• Budget preparation and IRB submission support in conjunction with the Department of Medicine Clinical Trials Financial Group (CTFG) and Clinical Research Support Office (CRSO)