Using information technology to facilitate research in a practice-based research network - the story of PraksisNett

Guro Haugen Fossum, Peder Halvorsen

Keywords: Clinical interventions, family practice, health services research, quality development, primary care, general practice, practice-based research networks

Background:

Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) are research infrastructures established to overcome hurdles associated with clinical studies in primary care. PBRNs have been successfully set up in the UK, Netherlands, USA, Ireland, Canada and Australia. In Norway, 5.5 million inhabitants have access to a GP through a patient list system, and 70 % visit their GP at least once a year. Within this system we have established a nationwide PBRN based on research-oriented GP practices and an innovative IT solution.

Research questions:

We aim to describe the establishment, organization, function and outcomes of PraksisNett - The Norwegian Primary Care Research Network.

Method:

We briefly describe the conception, institutional cooperation and funding process that enabled us to set up the network. We then focus on how the projects are conducted, including evaluation and approval by the PBRN staff and practical implementation in the GPs’ offices. Finally, we present outcomes of the network so far.

Results:

Our PBRN is comprised of two parts; a human infrastructure (employees, including academic GPs) organized as four regional nodes and a coordinating node, and an IT infrastructure based on a secure multiparty computation protocol. This enables computing on distributed data without ever exposing or moving it. For a given research project the system can easily calculate the number of eligible patients and generate recruitment lists at each GP site. The core of the infrastructure is 90 general practices that are contractually linked to PraksisNett. These include almost 500 GPs, serving around 500 000 patients. Twenty studies are either completed or ongoing, and 80 have expressed an interest in using the network since its conception.

Conclusions:

Our PBRN may serve as a model for other countries wanting to strengthen primary care research. This will benefit both patients, GPs and society in terms of improved quality of care.

Points for discussion:

How can PraksisNett serve as a model for other countries looking to set up PBRNs?

How can the PBRNs in general practice in Europe collaborate in larger clinical studies?

How can we work together to overcome challenges of using IT in PBRNs?

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