AAFP National Network for Family Practice and Primary Care Research Receives Federal Grant for Infrastructure and Patient Safety

LEAWOOD, Kan. — The American Academy of Family Physicians’ National Network for Family Practice and Primary Care Research has received a two-year grant to improve the Network’s infrastructure and to fund a pilot study of testing process errors reported by family physicians and their office staffs. The grant, from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, totals $300,000.

The Network will use the Infrastructure monies to recruit more minority physicians, develop a Web-based survey system, and develop and implement a research-training program for family physicians’ office staff who assist with research projects.

The study of testing process errors will involve eight family practice offices (including urban, rural and suburban practices) and family practice residencies. The research team will study the errors identified, and work with the practices to develop interventions to eliminate these errors.

“This grant will help us improve the way we operate and collect data, which will improve the way patient care is delivered,” said John Hickner, M.D., M.S.P.H., the Network director.

The National Research Network currently has 200 family physicians in 42 states. These physicians conduct a variety of research of importance to family physicians and their patients, including bioterrorism preparedness, predictors of outcome of type 2 diabetes, problem drinking screening strategies, and pneumococcal immunization rates in adults.

In August 1999, the AAFP Board of Directors approved the business plan to establish an Academy-sponsored National Network for Family Practice and Primary Care Research. The network started operations in November 1999. The mission of the network is to “conduct, support, promote and advocate for primary-care research in practice-based settings that address questions of importance to the discipline of family medicine and also improves health-care delivery to and the health status of patients, their families and communities.”