Family Medicine PittNet
Family Medicine PittNet is a practice-based research network (PBRN) that facilitates the translation of research discoveries into practice through a collaboration between primary care patients, practices, providers, investigators, and other practice-based research networks. Our vision is to improve the standards of care in our community and beyond.
FM PittNet was established in 2023 as a joint initiative of the University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute (NIH/NCRR/CTSA Grant UL1TR001857) and the University of Pittsburgh Department of Family Medicine.
FM PittNet supports research protocols covering a range of common conditions including long-term COVID, obesity, kidney disease, peripheral arterial disease, maternal hypertension, as well as medical education initiatives. New studies and investigators are added regularly to the research network.
FM PittNet member practices include 5 Department of FM community practices and 10 residency-based offices in the community spanning 6 counties in Western Pennsylvania. We have over 160 Family Medicine providers and 185 Family Medicine resident trainees serving approximately 60,000 privately and publicly insured patients, across the lifespan in urban, suburban, and rural office settings.
FM PittNet supports a range of recruitment services including:
- On-site recruiting in practices
- Remote recruitment
- Letter mailing
- Electronic health record recruitment
- Survey distribution
- Posting services
All research requests to collaborate with the Department of Family Medicine practices should be directed to Family Medicine PittNet. No research activities can begin without Family Medicine PittNet Executive Committee approval. Please contact Carrie Fascetti @ christopherc@upmc.edu for more information about how to apply.
The Family Medicine PittNet team consists of:
- Steering Committee
- Dan Buysse- CTSI
- Carrie Fascetti- CTSI
- John Maier- FM and CTSI
- Mylynda Massart- FM and CTSI- FM PittNet Medical Director
- Jonathan Raviotta- FM
- Denise Smalley- CTSI
- One point of access for practice providers and investigators.
- Promote collaboration among patients, research investigators, and community providers to achieve the goal of improving quality of care.
- Involve members of diverse communities served by practices.
- Ensure that every research study brings value to patients, providers, and practices.
- Link clinical questions with rigorous research methods to produce evidence valid to the community.
- Share results quickly with the practice community.
- Translate research discoveries into practice.
- Study populations of patients and providers in real-world practice settings.
- Maintain sustainable infrastructure for practices and researchers between research grants.
- Provide review and oversight of research studies active in network practices.
Family Medicine PittNet works with your doctor to improve the health of our region. To do this, we bring together doctors from primary care practices to work with faculty in the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, School of Nursing, and Graduate School of Public Health. Together, this network is dedicated to discovering new ways to improve the health and wellness of our community through research. This then helps doctors learn more about how these issues affect our community and how best to prevent, diagnose, and treat them.
Learn what Family Medicine PittNet can offer to member practices and providers interested in learning about research opportunities for their patients.
As the research clearinghouse for the Department of Family Medicine, FM PittNet strives to make it as efficient and possible for your practice to connect interested providers, staff, and patients to research opportunities. PittNet’s Executive Committee, including several Family Medicine providers, carefully reviews all studies seeking to conduct research in practices for relevance and feasibility. If a research study approaches you or your practice directly, please don’t hesitate to connect them to us!
As an investigator participating in the Family Medicine PittNet network, you can take advantage of the many services that FM PittNet offers to recruit participants. Please note that FM PittNet requires prospective investigators seeking to conduct any research in network practices to apply and receive approval from FM PittNet prior to contacting member practices or engaging in research activities.
Carrie Fascetti, Populations Facilitator
Email: ccf11@pitt.edu