The Ambulatory Sentinel Practice Network: purpose, methods, and policies

Area of Science:

• Primary Health Care Research
• Public Health Surveillance
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Primary care practices are crucial for population health.
• Effective surveillance systems are needed to monitor health trends.
• The Ambulatory Sentinel Practice Network (ASPN) was established to address these needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the methods and policies of the ASPN.
• To introduce the initial sentinel practices within the network.
• To establish a foundation for future primary care research and surveillance.

Main Methods:

• Network development and establishment of primary care practices.
• Standardization of data collection protocols.
• Implementation of policies for research conduct and data sharing.

Main Results:

• The ASPN comprises a network of primary care practices in the US and Canada.
• Established methodologies and policies for conducting studies.
• Initial cohort of sentinel practices identified and described.

Conclusions:

• The ASPN provides a valuable infrastructure for primary care research.
• The network supports population-based studies and health surveillance.
• ASPN is poised to contribute significantly to understanding primary care issues.