Principal Investigator(s):  Jeffrey R. Steinbauer, M.D., Grace M. Kuo, Pharm.D., Robert J. Volk Ph.D.

Sponsor:  Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Background Summary:

The Southern Primary-care Urban Research Network (SPUR-Net) received funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) of the U.S. Public Health Service to conduct a national survey of primary care practice networks.  The PRINS study was conducted to determine the characteristics of the primary care practices within SPUR-Net.  Four of its constituent members, who represent the specialties of family practice, internal medicine, and pediatrics, participated in the study:

·         Baylor Family Medicine Clinic (BFM)

·         Harris County Hospital District Community Health Clinics (HCHD)

·         Healthcare for the Homeless-Houston (HHH)

·         Kelsey-Seybold Clinics (KSC)

Data were collected from February 2002 through July 2002 in three parts:

·         PRINS 1, which assessed the demographics of physician practices;

·         PRINS 2, which gathered information on patient visits; and

·         PRINS 2 Additional Questions, which clarified whether care was provided for other family members and examined the reasons for ordering referrals or tests.

All data were compiled for analysis by the Center for Primary Care Research at AHRQ to provide the network-defining information needed to better understand the many practices funded by the PBRN initiative. 

Acknowledgement:
The investigators wish to acknowledge SPUR-Net research assistants Nancy Cheak, Jana Davis, Judith George, Cynthia Kao, Joanne Wei, and Kristin Weidman for collecting data. We also want to thank Carol Mansyur, Lawrence Weiss, and Cai Wu of Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, for their computer technical support and statistical analysis.