About CaReNet
CaReNet is a practice-based research network
with a mission to improve health and well-being by the application of scientific
methods to questions important to primary care physicians, their patients, and
their communities. CaReNet is committed to questions with the potential to understand
health, disease, and illness, and the roles and values of primary care, with
a particular focus on disadvantaged populations.
Most CaReNet practices are dedicated to providing
care to disadvantaged populations. Over 39% of CaReNet patients are Hispanic
/ Latino and 44% are disadvantaged (self-pay or recipients of Medicaid or formal
discount programs). From a recent survey we know that 26% (range:
10 - 58%, depending on practice) of our patients delayed or lacked medical
care last year due to concerns about the cost of care and 13%
(range: 4 – 50%) were concerned at least once in the preceding month about
having enough food.
How is CaReNet governed and managed?
CaReNet is a voluntary consortium overseen by a Board of Directors charged
with setting directions and establishing procedures. The Board appoints a Director
who is not a member of the Board, but who is fully authorized to represent and
commit the Network internally and externally. All research is under the jurisdiction
of the Director.
The financial management of CaReNet is conducted by the Department of Family
medicine, according to the rules of the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
The Department of Family Medicine provides staff support for to the Board, the
Executive Committee, and the Director. Research support is provided by the Department
of Family Medicine, at the discretion of the Director. For more information,
see our bylaws.
CaReNet is now a part of the State Networks of Colorado Ambulatory
Practices and Partners (SNOCAP).
SNOCAPis an affiliation of practice-based research networks (PBRNs) that has
joined together to improve communication, facilitate joint research projects,
and share research staff and other resources. SNOCAP member networks are groups
of clinical practices and affiliates organized to efficiently conduct research
studies relevant to the needs of the participating practices and their patients.
Working together as SNOCAP facilitates an improved collaboration and resource
sharing —while allowing member networks to maintain their separate and
very unique identities. HPRN and CaReNet
are still independent PBRNs and may conduct individual research studies, but
those studies that are administered together now function more efficiently thanks
to the infrastructure provided by SNOCAP.
Shared infrastructure resources across the networks include a team of 11 people with expertise in grants/contracts management, IRB/HIPAA regulations, study design and evaluation, database management, statistical analysis, communications/technical writing, focus groups, information technology, and Spanish translation.
To assist a subset of practices on site, CaReNet employs another valuable resource—the practice-based research coordinator (PRC). This research assistant works in the 11 community practices of the Denver Health and Hospitals system, which are members of CaReNet. The PRC facilitates a practice’s ability to ask and answer questions important to them, links them to a core of research experts and resources, and supports the practices and their members in primary care research activities relative to CaReNet activities. This onsite assistant also supports these practices in their own quality assurance and research pursuits. The PRC facilitates a cross-fertilization of ideas among the participating practices as well as provides a feedback loop that enables practice input, both directly and indirectly, to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of CaReNet study designs. The PRC strengthens the network by improving access to practices, communication between the practice and the network staff, and understanding of practice capacity for research.
Why practice-based research?
The phenomena of primary care often exists totally outside hospitals and traditional
sites of research; thus new types of laboratories are essential to study primary
care. Efforts in primary care research have demonstrated the feasibility of
uniting practicing primary care clinicians into networks to examine what is
going on in their practices. You can read more about practice-based
research networks.
Why Colorado and the Department of Family Medicine?
The Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences
Center operates, administers or has strong affiliations with numerous practices
that care for thousands of patients in Colorado. These practices share the missions
of service to people in need and the education of future clinicians. By organizing
into a practice-based research network, these practices have created an
enhanced capacity to improve primary care and primary care education through
research. A special opportunity also exists for these practices to
focus research on populations often neglected by other research efforts, i.e.,
underserved or disadvantaged populations including rural people, minorities
and the urban poor.
How are studies selected for CaReNet?
Study proposals are presented by a Principal Investigator to the Director who
makes an initial determination of the suitability of the investigation for the
CaReNet. If the idea is deemed appropriate for further exploration, the Director
works with the PI to develop a sound protocol that is appropriate for practice-based
research. An agreement to participate between the member practices and the Director
is established in writing for every investigation and is considered binding.
You can read about present and past SNOCAP
studies on this web site.
What are the requirements for member practices?
See our bylaws, which explain requirements for members.
Who do we contact for answers to questions?
Contact either Sherry Holcomb, Research Coordinator, or Linda Niebauer,
Communication Coordinator. See the Contact page
for their phone numbers.
How can a practice join CaReNet?
If your practice decides to join CaReNet, you must register your practice
and every practitioner clinician in the practice. Contact either Sherry
Holcomb, Research Coordinator, or Linda Niebauer, Communication Coordinator
(see the Contact page for telephone numbers). Once you complete and send
us your registration form, you will be contacted to begin work on your first
CaReNet study.
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