Northwestern Primary Care Practice-Based Research Program (NP3)
The Northwestern Primary Care Practice-Based Research Program (NP3) supports collaboration between Northwestern researchers, primary care clinicians, and community partners to improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes through meaningful, practice-based research.
NP3 helps investigators engage with primary care practices, develop community-engaged partnerships, and implement research in real-world clinical settings across Chicagoland.
About NP3
The Northwestern Primary Care Practice-Based Research Program (NP3) fosters collaboration between community-based primary care clinicians, Northwestern investigators, and community partners to improve healthcare delivery and quality of care.
As part of the Center for Community Health (CCH), NP3 supports research that is practical, patient-centered, and aligned with the needs of primary care practices and the communities they serve.
NP3 provides support for:
- Practice-based research collaborations
- Community-engaged research
- Dissemination and implementation efforts
- Research feasibility review
- Clinician and practice engagement
- Partnership development across Chicagoland primary care networks
NP3 is a program of the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute’s Center for Community Health, the Division of General Internal Medicine Geriatrics in the Department of Medicine, and the Institute for Public Health and Medicine.
Practice-Based Research Networks
Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs) are groups of clinicians and practices that collaborate to answer real-world healthcare questions and improve patient care through research conducted in everyday clinical settings.
NP3 serves the following PBRNs:
- Federally Qualified Health Centers and community health centers
- Northwestern Medicine Primary Care Research Network: Comprised of the Northwestern Medicine Primary Care practices across the greater Chicago area
- Pediatric Practice Research Group: A partnership of the Department of Pediatrics at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and an enthusiastic group of over 50 pediatric practices.
Conduct Research with Northwestern Primary Care
Researchers interested in collaborating with Northwestern Medicine primary care practices, clinicians, or community partners are encouraged to engage with NP3 early in the project development process.NP3 and the Primary Care Executive Committee Research & Education (PCEC R&E) Subcommittee help assess feasibility, workflow considerations, alignment with primary care priorities, and opportunities for collaboration.
How the Process Works
- Submit a Research Intake Form
- Meet with the NP3 Team
- PCEC R&E Review
- Receive Feedback & Next Steps
Most requests are reviewed within approximately 4–6 weeks, depending on project scope and timing of committee meetings.
Types of Research We Support
- Clinical Research – Studies evaluating treatments, screening approaches, interventions, or models of care.
- Quality Improvement (QI) – Projects focused on improving workflows, patient outcomes, care coordination, or operational processes.
- Implementation Science – Research evaluating how evidence-based interventions can be integrated into routine clinical practice.
- Educational Research – Projects focused on clinician education, training, patient engagement, or medical education innovation.
- Community-Engaged Research – Research developed in partnership with communities to address healthcare priorities and disparities.
NP3 Seed Grants
NP3 supports seed grant opportunities that encourage collaboration between primary care clinicians, practices, and Northwestern investigators to address important questions in primary care and community health.
Learn more about NP3 Seed Grants
Contact Us
For questions regarding research collaboration, community engagement, or partnership opportunities, please contact:
Esther Tharakaturi
NP3 Senior Program Administrator
esther-tharakaturi@northwestern.edu