title: New Zealand needs a Practice Based Research Network.
abstract: Practice Based Research Networks (PBRNs) are groups of general practices collaborating to produce research. Contemporary New Zealand health information technology systems are ideal for electronic data extraction for PBRN research. Stakeholders have a valuable, but typically underutilised, part to play in research. Development of an e-participation platform will facilitate stakeholder engagement. New Zealand is in a unique position to create an innovative, low cost, stakeholder-engaged PBRN. This type of PBRN would offer unparalleled research opportunities, and would strengthen New Zealand's general practice research capacity. The more research information we have based on our New Zealand population, the more appropriate care we can provide. Establishing a stakeholder-engaged PBRN in New Zealand will promote and support transformational change within our health system.
authors.affiliation: Senior Research Fellow, Department of General Practice and Rural Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. Email: sharon.leitch@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leitch
mesh_terms: D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000458:organization & administration; D058006:General Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand