Is a practice-based rural research network feasible in Europe?

Area of Science:

• Family Medicine
• Primary Care Research
• Rural Health

Background:

• Family medicine research is established but underutilized in rural European settings due to limited resources.
• Rural primary care faces unique challenges impacting research capacity and potential.
• Existing networks like EURIPA and EGPRN recognize the need to strengthen rural research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the establishment of a European practice-based research network for rural family medicine.
• To define practice-based research in family medicine and assess the current European rural research landscape.
• To identify strategies for fostering research collaboration in European rural primary care.

Main Methods:

• Two workshops were conducted at international meetings to discuss the design of a rural practice-based research network.
• A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis was employed to evaluate the current situation.
• Discussions involved members of the European Rural and Isolated Practitioners Association (EURIPA) and the European General Practice Research Network (EGPRN).

Main Results:

• The SWOT analysis provided insights into the current state of rural family practice research in Europe.
• Key messages were generated to inform relevant research bodies, including WONCA and the International Federation of Primary Care Research Network.
• The collaboration between EURIPA and EGPRN was identified as a strong foundation for developing a European network.

Conclusions:

• A European practice-based research network is a viable strategy to enhance rural family medicine research.
• Collaboration between EURIPA and EGPRN can facilitate the development of such a network.
• Addressing resource limitations is crucial for maximizing the potential of rural primary care research across Europe.