About Maine BRIC
What is Maine BRIC?
Maine's BRIC initiative is a research collaboration between the University of Southern Maine's (USM) Institute for Health Policy, Maine Medical Center's Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), MaineHealth and the USM College of Nursing and Health Professions (CONHP). Through this effort, Maine will build an infrastructure expanding the state's capacity to conduct multi-disciplinary health services research to improve the quality of chronic illness care. Achievements will focus on:
- Creation of a Practice Improvement Research Center (PIRC);
- Further formation and strengthening of research partnerships among participating organizations;
- Development of tools and protocols to conduct practice-based quality improvement, including expertise in qualitative research methods;
- Development among investigators of a repertoire of research skills needed to conduct comprehensive studies of practice-based quality improvement, including expertise in qualitative research methods;
- An exploratory research project that will develop insights into the characteristics of physician practices that have successfully engaged in quality improvement activities for primary care for individuals with chronic illness.
Funding
The BRIC initiative is funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the lead Federal agency charged with improving the quality, safety, efficiency and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. Launched by AHRQ in 2001, the BRIC program is intended to build research capacity in states that have traditionally had less involvement in health services research.
Project Team
Muskie School Institute of Health Policy
- Susan Payne, Principal Investigator
- Judith Tupper, Project Director
MMC Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation
- Neil Korsen, Co-Principal Investigator
- Lee Lucas, Co-Investigator
- Kathleen Fairfield, Co-Investigator
- Gloria Aponte Clarke
MaineHealth
- Lisa Letourneau, Co-Investigator
USM College of Nursing and Health Professions
- Judith Spross, Co-Investigator
- Leslie Neal-Boylan, Associate Professor of Nursing, Co-Investigator
