Washington State Practice-Based Research Network
The Washington Public Health Practice-Based Research Network (WA PBRN) was founded in January 2009 with support from a two-year Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant. The WA PBRN was one of five national grantees including Colorado, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. Subsequently, additional states have been added to the National Public Health Practice Based Research Network.
A public health PBRN is a group of public health agencies that collaborate with public health research centers on applied studies designed to identify ways of improving the organization, financing and delivery of public health services in real world community settings. This type of research is often called "Public Health Systems and Services Research." PBRNs have existed in other health care fields for many years; emerging public health PBRNs are now uniquely positioned to take advantage of their lessons in how to develop applied research studies that improve the quality and effectiveness of the public health system. The WA PBRN contributes to the development and translation of evidence-based practices by developing an infrastructure so that local and state health jurisdictions and the University of Washington and other research entities can work more efficiently and collaboratively on practice based research, and providing oversight of the integrity and quality of this applied research.
Applied research is particularly critical with the recent cuts to local and state health budgets that support public health, the passage of the Affordable Care Act, and the national movement towards accreditation of local health departments. Understanding what works, and how our system is organized, is more important than ever before.
The WA PBRN continues to identify and seek funding to address key research questions that directly affect the delivery of public health services in Washington and the effectiveness of public health services in improving the health of the communities in Washington. The network's goals also include translating research findings into improved public health outcomes. The WA PBRN is currently staffed by Public Health – Seattle & King County, with an advisory board/Executive Committee comprised of representatives from LHJs, the WSDOH and the University of Washington.
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