About PeRC

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The Pediatric Research Consortium (PeRC) is dedicated to improving the safety, quality, and health outcomes of pediatric care through clinical research. PeRC's mission is to provide the expertise and infrastructure needed to support primary care clinicians in the development of research, the results of which will transform the way care is provided within the network in order to further enhance the quality and health outcomes of patients.

PeRC optimizes the ever-improving functionality of the electronic health record, develops mentoring relationships with faculty and trainees, advances practice-based research methods, and supports research within the context of clinical care. Our primary care practice-based network is a nationally and internationally recognized entity for the advancement of primary care research and enhances CHOP's position as a national and international leader in pediatric research. PeRC aims to accomplish impactful goals:

  • Support high-quality research based on the clinical needs of all primary practices within CHOP’s network.
  • Contribute to the development of research questions posed by clinicians within the primary care network and provide resources to help carry out these studies.
  • Support the research needs of faculty conducting research in primary care settings, including CHOP Centers of Emphasis, other departments within the CHOP enterprise and collaborations with external academic institutions where CHOP faculty is part of the investigative team.
  • Support the development of information technologies and tools into a system that can function over a wide range of purposes, including clinical care, education, research, and evaluation.
  • Translate research into practice and evaluate its impact using the electronic health record as a foundational tool.

PeRC strives to achieve excellence in facilitating clinical research in the primary care setting by serving as a liaison between the clinical investigators, the practices of CHOP's primary care network, and patients and families.

Study implementation

We incorporate research goals and objectives into a collaborative plan that meets established research timeline and is amenable to each network site.

Site recruitment

The PeRC team approaches the key contacts at network sites to communicate study requirements, increase value for the project, promote participation, and provide continuing medical education-accredited seminars related to the study topic (when requested).

Patient recruitment

We support patient recruitment in a respectful manner.

Project monitoring and evaluation

Our staff conducts ongoing general monitoring of project progress relative to the research goals to identify potential areas of improvement during the course of the project.

Process/systems change

We customize electronic processes and systems employed within CHOP's primary care facilities according to the research protocol and recruitment strategy in order to optimize results. For example, in many cases, the electronic health record (EHR) can identify patients who are suitable for a research project at the point of care, increasing participation numbers in a directed manner. CHOP's EHR can be customized to reflect changes in the standard of care. Research outcomes can be translated into direct clinical application either on a network-wide level or for a subset of the larger network.

Link to clinical research

We serve as the primary conduit for practicing physicians to gain access to clinical research initiatives.

Infrastructure for participation

We offer a variety of communication channels and support each of the network centers. We facilitate initial communication of research aims and outcomes and provide tools to perform the administrative tasks necessary for successful completion.

Training

We consult with members of the practice who will be participating in the research project to ensure they are aware of the procedures and policies that govern the research. We also provide suggestions for how to communicate the research goals and issues with patients and their families. Electronic and in-person training may be available.

Education

We can provide CME programs to individuals within the network who are interested in learning more about our studies. Some practices request that the principal investigator and/or study team come to their site to discuss their project with the staff. CME credit may be provided if clinical information is discussed. This creates a win-win scenario for both the PI and site clinical team. PeRC has the ability to grant CME credit to physicians and nurses related to these specific presentations. We have also worked with the Learning Link team at CHOP to grant CME for web-based presentations. Paperwork must be completed prior to the presentation to meet the guidelines required to award these education credits. The PeRC staff will gladly assist the PI and study team with the necessary paperwork.

Patients and their families learn about our research projects through their interactions with the practices. The information presented by the practices includes:

  • The rationale for conducting the research.
  • Requirements for taking part in the research project.
  • Immediate benefits such as free services, expedited appointments, and/or compensation for their time and travel.
  • An explanation of how the research may ultimately benefit patients.