PI02: Practice Facilitators in a Practice-Based Research Network
Aashka Bhatt, BSc, MSc; Gurnoor Brar, BSc, MPH; Michelle Greiver, MD, MSc, CCFP; Tom Rylett, M.Ed.
Abstract
Background
Practice Facilitators (PF) provide a wide range of supportive services to practices in order to improve the quality of care delivered, patients’ experience with care, and patient outcomes. They provide extra human “bandwidth” to help practices introduce and sustain changes that improve patient experience, processes of care, health outcomes and staff morale. Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs) engage clinicians in research, quality improvement and an evidence-based culture to improve health. PFs in UTOPIAN, the University of Toronto Practice-Based Research Network, brings together patients, Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) faculty members, statisticians, and scientists. We answer important healthcare questions and translate findings into practice.
Setting and Methods
As a “living laboratory” for studying patient populations and care providers, UTOPIAN has provided support to numerous researchers through practice facilitation since the first PF was recruited in 2014. University of Toronto Practice-Based Research Network is a network of over 1700 family physicians in practices within the 14 Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) academic sites throughout the Greater Toronto Area and beyond, established in 2013.
Results
UTOPIAN currently has PFs available to enable busy clinicians to successfully incorporate research into their practices. The UTOPIAN team, including the PFs, engage academic and community practices in this project. There are currently over 500 family physicians (DFCM and others) contributing their EMR data – this amount to over 600,000 de-identified patient records. Since 2014, UTOPIAN has supported more than 50 research projects led by DFCM faculty and taking place across all teaching and community sites. Targeted project support together with other capacity building activities enable DFCM faculty to actively engage in primary care research
Conclusion
PFs help build organizational research capacity for continuous improvement. They collaborate with other organizations and people with complementary aims and skills, and ultimately contribute to improving patient care and outcomes The expertise of UTOPIAN PFs combined with the practical insights of skilled researchers/clinicians allows for the generation of research ideas that can be significant for practice.
Practice Facilitators (PF) provide a wide range of supportive services to practices in order to improve the quality of care delivered, patients’ experience with care, and patient outcomes. They provide extra human “bandwidth” to help practices introduce and sustain changes that improve patient experience, processes of care, health outcomes and staff morale. Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs) engage clinicians in research, quality improvement and an evidence-based culture to improve health. PFs in UTOPIAN, the University of Toronto Practice-Based Research Network, brings together patients, Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) faculty members, statisticians, and scientists. We answer important healthcare questions and translate findings into practice.
Setting and Methods
As a “living laboratory” for studying patient populations and care providers, UTOPIAN has provided support to numerous researchers through practice facilitation since the first PF was recruited in 2014. University of Toronto Practice-Based Research Network is a network of over 1700 family physicians in practices within the 14 Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) academic sites throughout the Greater Toronto Area and beyond, established in 2013.
Results
UTOPIAN currently has PFs available to enable busy clinicians to successfully incorporate research into their practices. The UTOPIAN team, including the PFs, engage academic and community practices in this project. There are currently over 500 family physicians (DFCM and others) contributing their EMR data – this amount to over 600,000 de-identified patient records. Since 2014, UTOPIAN has supported more than 50 research projects led by DFCM faculty and taking place across all teaching and community sites. Targeted project support together with other capacity building activities enable DFCM faculty to actively engage in primary care research
Conclusion
PFs help build organizational research capacity for continuous improvement. They collaborate with other organizations and people with complementary aims and skills, and ultimately contribute to improving patient care and outcomes The expertise of UTOPIAN PFs combined with the practical insights of skilled researchers/clinicians allows for the generation of research ideas that can be significant for practice.
Gillian Bartlett (NACRG President)
gillian.bartlett@health.missouri.edu 8/5/2021Great work - you hit on some key topics in primary care practice currently. I hope to see more in the future to see what other systems this might expand to (i.e. US).