What are Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs)?

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) explains practice-based research networks, or PBRNs, as:

A group of ambulatory practices devoted principally to the primary care of patients

Typically, PBRNs draw on the experience and insight of practicing clinicians to identify and frame research questions whose answers can improve the practice of primary care. By linking these questions with rigorous research methods, the PBRN can produce research findings that are immediately relevant to the clinician and, in theory, more easily assimilated into everyday practice” (AHRQ website: http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/factsheets/primary/pbrn/index.html).

Though the vast majority of PBRNs are made up of primary care clinicians and practices, there are currently six Pharmacy PBRNs registered with AHRQ. Rural Research Alliance of Community Pharmacies, or RURAL-CP, is the first multi-state pharmacy PBRN developed exclusively for rural community pharmacies.