Cincinnati Pediatric Research Group Enhancement Project

Children'S Hospital Med Ctr (Cincinnati), Cincinnati OH

Investigators

Abstract

This grant proposal has two purposes: 1) to provide support to our practice based research network (PBRN) for completing the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) and 2) to test two technologies for collecting data. The NAMCS results will be used for better defining our network, the Cincinnati Pediatric Research Group (CPRG). They will provide data about the clinicians enrolled in the CPRG, the services these clinicians provide, and the characteristics of patients receiving those services. The second study will provide a preliminary assessment of two computer technologies for collecting data in the practices. Evaluation will occur for each technological mode in terms of error rates, missing data, practitioner preference and ease of addressing confidentiality issues. The results will inform future use of each technology and issues to address to enhance their effectiveness and efficiency. This grant will support the Cincinnati Pediatric Research Group to maximize the opportunity to both collect data that will inform future activities of the network and examine optimal ways of collecting data. These objectives are designed to provide the necessary background to enable the network to conduct more sophisticated research. With the collection of network-defining data, the CPRG will be able to determine the feasibility of, and lay the methodological groundwork for, such studies. For example, network-defining data would allow the CPRG to more realistically propose to conduct an effectiveness study. Focusing on a specific clinical condition or patient population, it must have reliable patient demographic information as well as data on the incidence or prevalence of the condition among patients served by network clinicians. The CPRG is proposing to pilot test computer technology for collecting data within our network. This study would use a crossover experimental design for determining practitioner characteristics that influence the use of web-based or handheld technology for capturing study data. In such experiments, each subject serves as his or her own control. Each practitioner willing to participate will collect data utilizing sequentially two methods of data collection: web entry and a personal digital assistant (PDA). We believe that collecting network-defining data and examining optimal ways of collecting data will ultimately enable CPRG members to be more effective in recognizing important research questions and enable them to design and collect those data in a sophisticated and timely manner.