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).
The UC-PBRN is governed by an Advisory Committee which has been instrumental in setting the Mission Statement and Key Objectives:
What can the UC-PBRN offer?
The Agency for Healthcare Research Quality (AHRQ) defines a PBRN as a 
group of primary care clinicians and practices working together to:
– answer community-based health care questions (clinical and/or organizational)
– translate research findings into practice
If you would like general information about PBRNs, please visit https://pbrn.ahrq.gov/.
We are in the early stages of development of the UC-PBRN. Please check our website for future updates.