Learning From What We Do, and Doing What We Learn: A Learning Health Care System in Action.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Translational Science
• Implementation Science

Background:

• Emerging models of learning health systems aim to improve healthcare delivery.
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center established a Learning Health Care System (LHS) Platform to generate generalizable knowledge, distinct from quality improvement initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the structure and function of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center LHS Platform.
• To highlight the platform's role in supporting pragmatic trials at the intersection of research, operations, and clinical care.

Main Methods:

• The LHS Platform supports the transformation of clinical or operational questions into researchable questions for pragmatic trials.
• It provides scientific, technical, procedural, and human infrastructure, including expertise in pragmatic trial design, project management, data science, and regulatory support.
• Stakeholder engagement with healthcare providers and the community is a key component.

Main Results:

• The LHS Platform facilitates the generation of evidence to advance healthcare content and processes through rigorous study.
• It leverages translational, transdisciplinary team science to inform clinical and operational decision-making.
• The platform is evolving to integrate implementation science and cost-value considerations.

Conclusions:

• The Vanderbilt University Medical Center LHS Platform is integral to the health system, fostering a culture of continuous learning.
• It effectively bridges research and practice, yielding generalizable knowledge to improve healthcare.
• The platform's mature infrastructure supports the design and execution of pragmatic trials, driving healthcare advancements.