Question 1

What is a practice-based research network (PBRN)?

Accepted Answer

Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) are collaborations between clinical practitioners, academic/clinical researchers and community members. This PBRN aims to foster research in chiropractic practice through opportunities to learn more about how to undertake and participate in research and assist in translating new knowledge into practice. Importantly, PBRNs also offer clinicians the chance to contribute to research by posing questions of importance to quality clinical care.

Question 2

What types of research questions can be addressed?

Accepted Answer

Essentially the CIRCuit-PBRN will do two things: 
a)  Invite chiropractors to participate in approved research and 
b)  Ask chiropractors to disseminate approved research to their patients so as to invite them to participate in that research. Some broad examples are shown below:

The CIRCuit-PBRN will help to address many potential research questions including:
1.  In the opinion of chiropractors what are the most important research questions needing to be addressed?
2.  In the opinion of chiropractic patients what are the most important research questions needing to be addressed?
3.  What is the patient case mix of chiropractors?
4.  Is chiropractic care cost-efficient compared to other therapies?
5.  What is chiropractic care effective for and what range of benefits do patients gain from their chiropractic care?
6.  Is chiropractic care safe? 
7.  What influences patient decision-making regarding chiropractic consultations and follow-up care?
8.  How can chiropractors be better integrated into mainstream healthcare?

Question 3

How is the CIRCuit PBRN designed?

Accepted Answer

Apart from the initial baseline research and development of the Register of willing chiropractors, the CIRCuit PBRN will seek to facilitate other research projects by acting as a conduit to the PBRN register of licensed/registered chiropractors. This is not to rule out the CIRCuit PBRN instigating or calling for other research studies.

Question 4

Why is this PBRN important and necessary?

Accepted Answer

This PBRN can be conceptualised as a laboratory for research on chiropractic care. This PBRN will link and support interested registered/licensed chiropractors with primary care academics and other researchers who have skills in research methods, statistics, health economics, data management and also evidence translation into practice.

This PBRN will be agile and flexible in that it can operate in a ‘top-down’ or ‘bottom-up’ approach, or a mixture of both. Ideally, the EBC Network and their community will benefit mutually from this association. Benefits include:
•    Learning more about research
•    Generating ideas for research from chiropractors’ clinical work
•    Working together to use chiropractors’ own clinical data to answer questions or other research involvement (e.g. commenting on or contributing to PBRN projects and publications arising from projects)
•    Hosting research students who are undertaking research projects
•    Being pilot practices to help test study protocols and materials or recruit patients in their practices

Question 5

Is the CIRCuit PBRN owned or controlled by an outside body, association, or chiropractic program?

Accepted Answer

No. The CIRCuit PBRN is totally independent and is not influenced by an outside entity or any representative. Specifically, members of the Scientific Advisory Committee are not appointed by their employer or any group they are affiliated with.

Question 6

Is the CIRCuit PBRN recognised by any authority?

Accepted Answer

The CIRCuit PBRN will apply for approval by the prominent international agency for PBRN scholarship – the US-based Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) – as a registered PBRN Study.

Frequently Asked Questions