Research

RESEARCH

CDN is dedicated to providing and improving comprehensive and accessible community-oriented primary and preventive health services for underserved populations. CDN provides clinicians with the opportunity to conduct clinical research in their practices, which provides their patients with the means to access high quality evidenced-based care in their neighborhoods. This enables access to care that otherwise would be restricted to tertiary care sites, universities, and other research centers.

CDN has over 25 years of experience developing, conducting, implementing and evaluating practice- based research with Community Health Centers (CHCs) and other safety net practices. Clinical research conducted by CDN at member sites covers a wide range of prevention and treatment studies involving conventional medical therapies, behavioral interventions, as well as integrative/complementary/alternative health practices. 

CDN is an AHRQ-designated Center of Excellence (P30) for practice-based research and learning and is the designated lead PBRN in a network of networks, N2-PBRN. N2-PBRN is a network of networks that includes nine established PBRNs in New York, Boston, Gainesville, Chicago, South Texas, Portland and Oakland. N2 comprises nearly 200 active research-engaged practices, both urban and rural, from member networks of over 600 practices that strive to build a community of learning for primary care practices to improve quality, patient safety, and effectiveness of care by implementing new clinical knowledge into practice. N2 is dedicated to developing relationships with the Community Health Centers that serve its target population.

Tell us about your ideas for collaboration. Contact us at: eLearning@CDNetwork.org.

N2 PBRN: Building a Network of Safety Net PBRNs

CDN was recently designated an AHRQ Center of Excellence in Primary Care-Practice Based Research and Learning (Grant No. 1 P30-HS-021667; PI JN Tobin) and was designated the lead PBRN in a network of networks N2 PBRNN2 PBRN is a network of networks that includes nine established PBRNs. Together, N2 PBRN covers 16 states, and includes nearly 200 active research-engaged practices, both urban and rural, from a network of over 600 practices. This represents over 2,700 Full Time Employed (FTE) physicians, 1,750 FTE nurses, nearly 2,500 FTE other medical personnel, and a combined patient population of 4.2 million. The goal of N2 PBRN is to strengthen the research and dissemination infrastructure of each collaborating PBRN by creating an enduring infrastructure to:

  1. Accelerate the generation of new clinical knowledge
  2. Build a community of learning for primary care practices to improve quality, patient safety and effectiveness of care by implementing new clinical knowledge into practice

PBRN Partners:

  • Access Community Health Network (ACCESS), Chicago IL
  • The Alliance of Chicago (ALLIANCE), Chicago IL
  • The Fenway Institute (FENWAY), Boston MA
  • Clinical Directors Network, Inc. (CDN, Lead PBRN), New York NY
  • Oregon Community Health Information Network (OCHIN), Portland OR
  • New York City Research and Improvement Group (NYCRING), Bronx NY
  • Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organization (AAPCHO), Oakland CA
  • Center for Community Health Education Research and Service (CCHERS), Boston MA
  • South Texas Ambulatory Research Network (STARNet), San Antonio, TX

Incubator PBRNs:

  • Lutheran Family Health Center, Brooklyn NY
  • Washington DC Metro Research Collaborative (Children’s/GW/NACHC), Washington DC

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