History and Funding of PBRNs

History

While the PBRN movement in the United States goes back over 30 years, it has experienced significant growth over the past decade.¹ The number of Primary Care PBRNs in the United States has grown substantially, from a reported 28 in 1994² to 173 in 2015 (as of May 2015).

To understand the expansion and evolution of PBRNs over the decades, it is helpful to know the history behind PBRNs, including how they were conceptualized and evolved. In 2006, Larry Green and John Hickner published an article describing the history and evolution of PBRNs in the U.S.³ In this article, the authors introduce the accomplishments of some of the pioneers of primary care research and explore the various mechanisms and organizations that have supported PBRNs during their development. A copy of this article is publicly available through the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.

Funding

What Is the History of AHRQ Hunding for PBRNs?

The opportunities listed below represent funding reserved exclusively for PBRNs. In addition, PBRNs successfully compete for grant funding from AHRQ and other Federal agencies for solicitations that are not reserved exclusively for PBRNs. For example, three PBRNs received American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding in 2010 for dissemination of comparative effectiveness research findings within PBRN settings.

• Centers for Primary Care Practice-Based Research and Learning (2012)
• PBRNs Translating Research Into Practice (TRIP) Awards (2004-2005)
• AHRQ PBRN Small Research Grants
  • RFA HS-05-011 (2006)
  • RFA HS-03-006 (2003)
• AHRQ Practice-Based Research Network Awards (2002)
• Practice-Based Research Network Planning Grants (2000)
• Early Practice-Based Research Network Support (pre-2000)

References

1. Lanier D. Primary care practice-based research comes of age in the United States. Ann Fam Med. 2005: 3 (Suppl 1):S2-S4.
2. Niebauer L, Nutting PA. Primary care practice-based research networks active in North America. J Fam Pract. 1994:38:425-426.
3. Green LA, Hickner J. A short history of primary care practice-based research networks: From concept to essential research laboratories. JABFM. 2006:19(1):1-10.