Engaging public health agencies the research enterprise: Models for practice-based research from a new national initiative

BACKGROUND: Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) have been used successfully in clinical research to generate evidence for improving the quality of medical care and for transferring this evidence rapidly into practice. These networks allow community practitioners to collaborate with researchers in designing, implementing, and evaluating solutions to problems in real-world practice settings. Their success raises the question of whether PBRNs can be formed among public health agencies to conduct research for improving public health practice. This study presents early findings from a new initiative to develop a national cohort of public health PBRNs. METHODS: Leaders of clinical PBRNs were interviewed to identify successful strategies for network development and operation. Proposals for PBRNs were solicited from state and local public health agencies, and an initial cohort of 5 networks were selected for financial and technical support. Information on network characteristics and developmental processes was collected and compared across the five supported projects. RESULTS: Most PBRNs form around organizational members serving a common geographic region, including single- and multi-state regions. Members were selected based primarily on the ability to identify a research “champion” within each organization and to coalesce around common research interests. Networks pursue a variety of interests including those related to workforce development, information technology, quality improvement, and adoption of evidence-based programs. The ability to rapidly incorporate findings into practice is a major incentive for network participation. CONCLUSIONS: PBRNs hold considerable promise for expending the evidence-base for public health practice and accelerating knowledge transfer among public health agencies.