title: Vision and creation of the American Heart Association pharmaceutical roundtable outcomes research centers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The field of outcomes research seeks to define optimal treatment in practice and to promote the rapid full adoption of efficacious therapies into routine clinical care. The American Heart Association (AHA) formed the AHA Pharmaceutical Roundtable (PRT) Outcomes Research Centers Network to accelerate attainment of these goals. Participating centers were intended to carry out state-of-the-art outcomes research in cardiovascular disease and stroke, to train the next generation of investigators, and to support the formation of a collaborative research network.
  
  
  METHODS
  After a competitive application process, 4 AHA PRT Outcomes Research Centers were selected: Duke Clinical Research Institute; Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute; Stanford University-Kaiser Permanente of Northern California; and University of California, Los Angeles. Each center proposed between 1 and 3 projects organized around a single theme in cardiovascular disease or stroke. Additionally, each center will select and train up to 6 postdoctoral fellows over the next 4 years, and will participate in cross-collaborative activities among the centers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The AHA PRT Outcomes Research Centers Network is designed to further strengthen the field of cardiovascular disease and stroke outcomes research by fostering innovative research, supporting high quality training, and encouraging center-to-center collaborations.
authors.affiliation: Duke Outcomes Research Center, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27705, USA. peter016@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: Eric D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Spertus
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hlatky
authors.forename: Alan S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Go
authors.forename: Barbara G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Vickrey
authors.forename: Jeffrey L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Saver
authors.forename: Patricia C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hinton
mesh_terms: D000572:American Heart Association; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002309:Cardiology / Q000193:education; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006801:Humans; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D012109:Research Support as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States