Term: Primary care research

Glossary Definition

Last Updated: 2008-11-20

Definition:

Research directed at understanding and improving the primary care function as defined by the Institute of Medicine ("the provision of integrated, accessible healthcare services by clinicians that are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal healthcare needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing within the context of family and community"). Primary care research includes theoretical and methodological research, health care research (investigations of the components of the primary care function itself), clinical research, and health systems research (including educational research, translational research, and health policy research).

Related terms 

• Clinical Quality Improvement
• Community-based participatory research
• Effectiveness research
• Efficacy research
• Primary Care
• Primary care practice-based research
• Primary care practice-based research networks
• Research translation or knowledge translation
• Translational research

References 

• Mold JW, Pasternak A, McCaulay A, Manca D, Rubin G, Westfall J, Beasley J, Hickner J, Fagnan LJ, Handley M, Haddy R, Hankey T, Practice-Based Research Subcommittee of North American Primary Care Research Group Committee on Advancing Science of Family Medicine. Definitions of common terms relevant to primary care research. Annals of Family Medicine 2008;6(6):570-571.(View)