Pediatric research in office settings (PROS): a national practice-based research network to improve children's health care.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the establishment of a national pediatric primary care research network to improve children's health care-Pediatric Research in Office Settings (PROS), and to evaluate the network's progress toward achieving its objectives.


METHODS
Pediatric practices in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.


METHODS
Approximately 1400 pediatric practitioners from more than 470 practices.


RESULTS
Beginning in 1986, a core of volunteer pediatrician coordinators from participating American Academy of Pediatrics chapters were identified to oversee local PROS efforts, represent practitioners, and inform the development of proposed research studies. PROS subsequently recruited practitioners from around the country, building a research infrastructure and a system of collaboration between the practitioners, research staff at the AAP, and investigative teams at academic institutions. This PROS collaboration has developed and conducted 10 primary care research studies that have added to the knowledge base of pediatric primary care.


CONCLUSIONS
PROS has accomplished two of its initial objectives-development of a structure and process for pediatric practice-based research and provision of research experience to practitioners. Successful and consistent achievement of a third objective-meaningful dissemination of study results to relevant audiences-will depend on meeting several challenges.
Wasserman
R C
RC
Department of Pediatrics, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, USA.
Slora
E J
EJ
Bocian
A B
AB
Fleming
G V
GV
Baker
A E
AE
Pedlow
S E
SE
Kessel
W
W
D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009313:National Health Programs; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D016730:Program Development; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012106:Research; D014481:United States