Oklahoma Physicians Resource/Research Network (OKPRN)
The Oklahoma Physicians Resource/Research Network is a premiere regional primary care practice-based research network in the United States. It has more than 250 member clinicians, representing 137 separate primary care practices that care for nearly 10% of the state’s citizens. Since its inception, the mission of OKPRN has been “to improve the quality of primary health care services available to Oklahomans by developing and sharing resources and by conducting relevant practice-based research.”
Research conducted in the network has addressed common symptoms and health conditions (clinical research), administrative challenges encountered in primary care (process of care research), and ways to help primary care clinicians implement clinical practice guidelines, particularly in the area of preventive services (implementation research). This work has attracted over $13 million in funding from more than 30 different sources, resulting in more than 75 peer-reviewed publications.
In its efforts to create a “learning community,” the network has established a variety of communication strategies, including a listserv, a website, an annual network-wide meeting, four newsletters per year, and practice facilitation.
While most of the research and development activities of OKPRN are directed by researchers in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine (DFPM) at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) in Oklahoma City, the Board of Directors includes primary care clinicians, academicians, and representatives of the Oklahoma State Department of Health, the Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality, and the Oklahoma Primary Care Association.
Oklahoma Child Health Research Network (OCHRN)
Oklahoma Child Health Research Network (OCHRN) is a practice-based research network that seeks to improve the health of Oklahoma’s children using evidence-based best practices and studying their implementation in clinic settings. OCHRN is an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) registered network dedicated to exploring issues relevant to state-wide practices, generating and providing resources, and including network practices in research development. OCHRN is a collaborative effort of the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Department of Pediatrics, and the OU Medical Center.
OCHRN projects have included studies on vaccine decision-making, parent-provider partnerships, referral communication, and immunizations. Contributing to studies are pediatricians, primary care practitioners, and specialists, including the following: the Sooner Pediatrics clinic located in the new children’s clinic on the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center (OUHSC) campus, the Norman Pediatrics clinic, the Northwest Pediatrics clinic in Enid, and the Latino clinic which is a satellite clinic of the OUHSC campus. The specialty clinics are Gastroenterology, Pulmonology, Cardiology, and Neurology. The OCHRN has practices in Oklahoma City, Enid, Norman, and Tulsa.
Oklahoma Pharmacist Resource/Research Network (OKPharmNet)
The Oklahoma Pharmacist Resource/Research Network is being established as one of the first regional pharmacy practice-based research networks in the United States. The mission of OKPharmNet is “to provide pharmacists with access to information, education, and technology to enhance their practices and to generate new and relevant knowledge through collaborative, practice-based research.
With the hope of creating a “learning community” that benefits academic and professional pharmacist members, the network is establishing various communication strategies, including a listserv, a website, and a newsletter. Additionally, OKPharmNet members have been invited and are encouraged to attend the Oklahoma Physicians Resource/Research Network (OKPRN) annual meeting to increase and enhance collaboration with local clinicians.
OKPharmNet’s Advisory Board of Directors includes pharmacists, non-pharmacists, academicians, and representatives of the Oklahoma Pharmacists Association (OPhA), the Oklahoma Pharmacists Education Foundation (OPEF), and Pharmacy Providers of Oklahoma (PPOk). Most of the research and development activities of OKPharmNet will be directed by researchers at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City.