The Center for Primary Care Research conducts and supports research on the provision of primary care, including the systems and policies that affect practice.
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The Center for Primary Care Research (CPCR) defines primary care as the provision of integrated, high-quality, accessible health care services by clinicians who are accountable for:
Designated by Congress to "serve as the principal source of funding for primary care practice research in the Department of Health and Human Services,"2 CPCR provides expertise and national leadership on issues related to primary care.
1 Adapted from the definition developed by a
committee of the Institute of Medicine and published
in Primary Care: America's Health in a New Era,
National Academy Press, 1996.
2 Healthcare Research and Quality Act of 1999,
amendment to Title IX of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 299 et seq.)
CPCR's vision is to support and conduct research that will improve the access, effectiveness, and quality of primary health care services throughout the United States. CPCR seeks to be known nationally as a major source of information on primary care practice and to be recognized internationally for the excellence of the research it supports and conducts. This vision includes a commitment:
These include both private and professional groups and other government agencies.
The Center supports extramural and intramural research that addresses a wide range of issues related to primary care practice and policy, including:
CPCR's activities are enriched and advanced through ongoing collaborations with several national professional organizations of primary care clinicians, as well as with other Federal, private-sector, and non-profit organizations that share the Center's interests.
CPCR also serves as AHRQ's coordinating center for research related to medical informatics, the health and health care of low-income populations and those residing in rural and urban/inner city areas, end-of life care, and clinical preparedness for bioterrorism.
CPCR houses a considerable body of investigator-initiated research on primary care-related topics. CPCR project officers are frequently consulted by primary investigators throughout the grant process, beginning with reviews of initial concept papers prior to grant submission. In addition, the Center also develops and coordinates sponsored research programs. Recent examples include:
Researchers within CPCR explore a wide range of issues related to the delivery of primary care, its costs, quality, and outcomes using secondary data sources. One major area of research focuses on disparities in access to, use of, and quality of care for vulnerable populations, including disparities by race/ethnicity, geographic location, type of health insurance, and accessibility of willing providers. Other areas of research include provider practice styles and the impact of primary care on the outcomes of patients with common diseases and conditions.
Select for additional information concerning CPCR research or contact:
Helen Burstin
Center for Primary Care Research
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
540 Gaither Road, Suite 6000
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 427-1500
HBurstin@ahrq.gov
AHRQ Publication No. 02-P015
Current as of February 2002
Internet Citation:
Primary Care: Where Research and Practice Meet. Fact Sheet. AHRQ Publication No. 02-P015, February 2002. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/about/cpcr/practice.htm
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