NP3 Seed Grants

A recent seed grant request for proposals (RFP) timeline is below for reference. Application details will be made available upon discussion with NP3/PPRG.

Download the award RFP

The NP3 Seed Grant Program aims to:

• Increase primary care-academic partnerships that are prepared to collaborate in the design and conduct of primary care research
• Foster the development of practice-based proposals for external funding
• Support the preparatory steps that lead to dissemination and implementation of research findings in community practice settings

Proposals must focus on one of the categories below:

• Practice-Based Research Collaboration: Intended to support development of new collaborative research projects and/or the transfer/spread of evidence-based findings or best practices to primary care practices (up to $25,000 per award, project length up to 12 months)
• Practice-Based Research Partnership Development: Intended to support development or expansion of partnerships between scientists and primary care clinicians working toward future research collaborations (up to $10,000 per award, project length up to 12 months)

The Northwestern Primary Care Practice-Based Research Program (NP3) is excited to formally announce the three 2023 Practice-Based Research Seed Grant Program awardees. The NP3 seed grant program supports research partnership development and collaboration between community-based primary care practices and academic researchers.

These one year awards, totaling $75,000, are generously supported by the Division of General Internal (GIM). We thank GIM and all partners for their continued dedication to practice-based research.  

The 2023 seed grant recipients and abstracts are below (alphabetical, by project title). 

• Enhanced Outreach to Increase COVID-19 Vaccination for Children with Chronic Health Conditions from Under Resourced Communities
  Principal Investigators:
  - Sameer Patel, MD, MPH, Academic PI, Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases) FSM/Lurie Children’s
  - Elaine Coldren, MD, Community PI, Pediatrician, Erie Family Health Centers
  
  Abstract:We have previously shown that missed opportunities for COVID-19 vaccination are higher in communities with low childhood opportunity and that direct outreach to patients and families increases equity in allocation of COVID-19 therapeutics. The specific aim of this proposal is to determine if targeted outreach to parents of children with chronic health conditions who live in neighborhoods with low childhood opportunity can increase receipt of COVID-19 vaccination when compared to MyChart messaging or no intervention. The study population will be children aged 6 months to 18 years, who receive primary care at Erie Family Health Center and have received care at Lurie Children’s, live in zip codes with low childhood opportunity, have chronic health conditions, and have incomplete COVID-19 vaccination status. Patients will be randomized to either 1) no intervention (control), 2) MyChart reminders, or 3) enhanced outreach consisting of a phone call to parents discuss vaccine benefit individualized to their child. The primary outcome will be receipt of COVID-19 vaccine dose within 60 days. We hypothesize that deficits in knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines are the primary drivers for incomplete vaccination, rather than ideological opposition or mistrust, and that targeted vaccine communication can improve uptake.

• Assessing needs and building capacity for the use of oral and long-acting injectable HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis at PCC Community Wellness Center (PCC PrEP)
  Principal Investigators:
  - Maria Pyra, PhD, MPH, Academic PI, Assistant Professor of Medical Social Sciences and Preventive Medicine, FSM

- En-Ling Wu, MD, Academic Co-I, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) at University of Chicago Medicine. [At the time of award, Dr. Wu was an Infectious Diseases Fellow at FSM. They remain integral to the collaboration and U of C is an active partner in this work.]

- Lauren Harriett, DO, MBA, Community PI, Family Medicine Physician and Coordinator of Residents Research, PCC Community Wellness Center

- Ruchi Fitzgerald, MD, FAAFP, Community Co-I, Family Medicine Physician and Service Chief for Addiction Medicine Consult Service, PCC Community Wellness Center

Abstract: Access to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) are integral to the primary care of people who inject drugs (PWID); however, primary care clinicians experience significant barriers to PrEP and MAT prescription. We anticipate primary care clinicians will face even greater challenges to offering long-acting injectable PrEP (LAI-PrEP) without active countermeasures. Using a community-based participatory research approach, we seek to identify primary care clinician level barriers and facilitators to oral and LAI-PrEP prescription and develop and test implementation strategies to overcome these barriers. We hypothesize that the integration of PrEP and MAT services in the primary care setting will result in decreases in new HIV infections and improvements in equity of PrEP access among PWID. Clinician-level barriers and facilitators will be assessed by surveying all PCC Community Wellness Center primary care clinicians and conducting focus group interviews with clinicians interested in serving as PrEP champions. Findings will be used to tailor implementation strategies, including standard operating procedures and PrEP-specific training materials, for primary care clinicians. In this initial phase of the study, use of LAI-PrEP will be piloted at the PCC Chemical Dependency Clinic. Dissemination of findings will include materials and strategies for next steps.

• Leveraging data science and implementation research to improve hypertension management in primary care in Chicago.

Principal Investigators:
- Theresa Walunas, PhD, Academic PI, Associate Professor of Medicine (General Internal Medicine) and Preventive Medicine, FSM

- Jiancheng Ye, PhD, Academic Co-I, Assistant Professor, FSM. 

- Nivedita Mohanty, MD, MS, Chief Health Impact Officer at AllianceChicago.

Abstract: Elevated blood pressure (BP) is one of the leading modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality in the United States and the world. Hypertension affects 1 in every 3 adults in US, contributes to 670,000 deaths in 2020, and only about 1 in 4 adults with hypertension have their condition under control. In Chicago, health status indicators show worsening disparities between black and white residents, with the highest rates of hypertension in the predominantly black South and West sides. Retention within hypertension care is defined as patients’ regular engagement with medical care at a healthcare facility. High retention at the individual- and population- level is essential for long-term management of hypertension and programmatic maintenance, but 1-year retention rates are < 50% in many resource-limited settings in the US. Optimizing retention in care is a central objective of hypertension management—to ensure longitudinal, patient-centered care to achieve hypertension control. Retention may be limited by patients’ circumstantial, geographic, and financial access to healthcare, as well as the perception of the disease process. Interventions to improve retention have been tested with generally modest effect sizes, but they typically operate only at a single level (e.g., patient, provider, facility). Multilevel interventions are needed to address situations in which patient needs change over time, and in which risk factors, diseases, and health resources are in a continuous state of interaction and flux. This project will create new knowledge to generate a multilevel intervention package to improve hypertension retention and a platform for future hypertension management study. This seed grant which will deepen our academic-community partnership and stakeholder engagement, and to inform a collaborative R01 application to support a system-wide multilevel intervention package relevant to other primary care networks nationally and internationally.

Email us at np3@northwestern.edu to learn more about practice-based research.

The Northwestern Primary Care Practice-Based Research Program (NP3) is excited to formally announce the two 2022 Practice-Based Research Seed Grant Program awardees. The NP3 seed grant program supports research partnership development and collaboration between community-based primary care practices and academic researchers.

These one year awards, totaling $35,000, are generously supported by the Division of General Internal (GIM). We thank GIM and all partners for their continued dedication to practice-based research.  

The 2022 seed grant recipients and abstracts are below (alphabetical, by project title). 

• Steatosis Identification, Risk Stratification, and Referral pathway in the ED (STIRRED): Creating Connections to Care
  Principal Investigators:
  - Amy Kontrick, MD, Academic PI, Assistant Professor FSM Emergency Medicine
  - Danielle McCarthy, MD, MS, Academic Co-I, Associate Professor and Vice Chair for Research, FSM Emergency Medicine
  - Christine Schaeffer, MD, Community PI, FSM Assistant Professor of Medicine & Medical Director, NM Transitional Care Clinic (TCC)
  - AllianceChicago, Community Co-I
  
  Abstract: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a public health crisis affecting 1 in 4 adults. NAFLD is often asymptomatic, and diagnosis is delayed until hepatic steatosis is noted “incidentally” on imaging or advanced disease (e.g., cirrhosis) develops. Specialty society guidelines for managing incidental steatosis are not widely known or regularly applied in the Emergency Department (ED), a major site of incidental finding discovery. Our team is developing a clinical decision support system (CDSS) for ED patients with incidental hepatic steatosis in partnership with Northwestern Medicine's (NM) Artificial Intelligence group. Personalized risk stratification for advanced liver disease will be provided and will guide appropriate linkage to follow-up care. The ultimate success of the intervention in improving the patients’ health depends upon strong linkage to community primary care providers who will guide their downstream evaluation and treatment. Building on the work being done within the NM system, this seed grant will allow us to develop new partnerships with the NM Transitional Care Clinic and AllianceChicago to evaluate how best to support connection to follow-up care, and to inform a collaborative R01 application to study the implementation of our CDSS for ED patients who receive primary care outside the NM system.

• Supporting equitable diagnosis and treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis in primary care: co-designing digital capture of patient-reported outcomes
  Principal Investigators:
  - Andrew Berry, PhD, Academic PI, Assistant Professor, FSM Medical Social Sciences
  - Jeffrey Panzer, MD, MS, Community PI, Vice President of Care Transformation, Heartland Health Centers, and Family Physician and Physician Innovator, AllianceChicago
  
  Abstract: Heartland Health Centers, a member AllianceChicago, have identified mitigation of pain and disability from knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) as a priority in the federally qualified health center space.  Knee and hip OA are leading causes of disability, and while interventions such as exercise and self-management education mitigate pain and disability, they areunderutilized. Furthermore, there are disparities in diagnosis and treatment of OA among Black/African American and Hispanic adults compared to White adults. There is a need for a more equitable approach to diagnosis and treatment of OA in primary care. To ensure consistent and equitable assessment of pain and limitations to physical function, we aim to develop a digital method for capturing patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for knee and hip OA. Using an iterative, human-centered design approach informed by principles of community-based participatory research, we will (1) interview people with knee/hip OA to understand preferences for digital capture of PROs, and we will (2) work with an advisory panel of knee and hip OA patients to co-design a method for digital PRO capture. This project will fill a critical knowledge gap regarding how best to design equitable capture of PROs for knee and hip OA in primary care.

 Email us at np3@northwestern.edu to learn more about practice-based research.

The Northwestern Primary Care Practice-Based Research Program (NP3) is excited to formally announce the four 2021 Practice-Based Research Seed Grant Program awardees. The NP3 seed grant program supports research partnership development and collaboration between community-based primary care practices and academic researchers.

These one year awards, totaling $100,000, are generously supported by the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS), the Center for Community Health, and the Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics. We thank these groups for their continued dedication to practice-based research.  

The 2021 seed grant recipients are below (alphabetical, by project title). Abstracts for each project are available here.

• Light therapy for depression in adolescent outpatients: a pilot study
  Principal Investigators:
  - Rachel Ballard, MD, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Lurie Children’s Hospital
  - Lisa Gadek, MD, Lake Forest Pediatrics
  - John Parkhurst, PhD, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Lurie Children’s Hospital
  - Dorothy Sit; MD, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine
  
  
• Partnership to Align Epic Tools and Practice Teams to Offer Evidence-based Weight Management Interventions in Primary Care
  Principal Investigators:
  - Ronald Ackermann, MD, General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine
  - Shalini Bhattacharya, MD, Northwestern Medicine Bucktown Practice
  
  
• Promoting COVID-19 Vaccination among At-Risk Adults: A Community, Academic and Health Center Partnership
  Principal Investigators:
  - Stacy Bailey, PhD, General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine
  - Mia Cross, RN, Family Christian Health Center
  
  
• Promoting Health Equity through High-Priority Outreach in Primary Care
  Principal Investigators:
  - Muriel Jean-Jacques, MD, General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicin
  - Lauren Leviton, LCSW, Northwestern Medicine General Internal Medicine Clinic
  - Maria Vargas, MPH, General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine
  - Alfred Washington, BA, Northwestern Medicine General Internal Medicine Clinic

Email us at np3@northwestern.edu to learn more about practice-based research.

The Northwestern Primary Care Practice-Based Research Program (NP3) is excited to formally announce the 2020 Practice-Based Research Seed Grant awards. The NP3 seed grant program supports research partnership development and collaboration between community-based primary care practices and academic researchers.

These one year awards, totaling $85,000 in 2020, were generously supported by the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS), the Center for Community Health, and the Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics. We thank these groups for their continued dedication to practice-based research.  

The 2020 seed grant recipients are below. Abstracts for each project are available here.

• Examining the Impact of Primary Care Visit Length on Health Care Use and Outcomes
  Principal Investigators
  -David Liss, General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine
  -Marilyn Pearson, Northwestern Medicine
  
  
• Exploring Data Systems to Track Homeless Healthcare Services and Outcomes in Chicago
  Principal Investigators:
  -Bruce Doblin, Heartland Alliance Health-Matthew O’Brien, General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine
  
  
• Screening for Gun Violence in the Primary Care Setting
  Principal Investigators:
  -Audrey Brewer, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago 
  -Bruce Rowell, Lawndale Christian Health Center
  
  
• We're here! Identifying Bi+ Individuals' Primary Care Needs through Collaborative Community Engaged Research
  Principal Investigators: 
  -Lauren Beach, Northwestern University Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing
  -Cori Blum, Howard Brown Health
  -Casey D. Xavier Hall, Northwestern University Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing
  Co-Investigator:
  -Jessie Miller, Bisexual Queer Alliance Chicago

Email us at NP3@northwestern.edu to learn more about practice-based research.

Between 2008 and 2017, the Practice-Based Research Program (PBRP made up of REACH – adult-focused, and PPRG – pediatric-focused) awarded seed grants in support of research partnership development and collaboration between community-based primary care practices and academic researchers. In 2019, we rebranded the PBRB as NP3. PBRP awards from 2008-2017 include:

2017

• Behavioral Health and Other Pediatric Chronic Conditions in Primary Care Practice (PPRG)
  Community PI: Laurie Hochberg, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
  Academic PI: Kristin Kan, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

• Building Partnerships to Expand Access to Technology-Enabled Mental Health Services (REACH)
  Community PI: Jeffrey Rado, Northwestern Medicine
  Academic PI: Emily Lattie, Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine

• Clinical management of Moderate-Severe Atopic Dermatitis in 0-2 year Olds by Community Based Pediatricians (PPRG)
  Community PI: Jonathan Necheles, Children’s Healthcare Associates
  Academic PI: Anna Fishbein, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

2015

• Hypertension in Premature Infants in the Pediatric Office (PPRG)
  Community PI: Ben Kornfeld, North Suburban Pediatrics
  Academic PI: Gal Finer, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
  
  
• Exploring a Patient-Centered mHealth Approach to Identify Hospital and Emergency Department Use (REACH)
  Community PI: David Buchanan, Erie Family Health Centers
  Academic PI: David Liss, General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine

2013

• Electronic Health Record Use and Usability in Primary Care (REACH)
  Community PI: David Buchanan, Erie Family Health Centers
  Academic PI: Enid Montague, General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine

2012

• Utilization and Cost-Effectiveness of Transcutaneous Bilirubinometry in the Primary Care Setting (PPRG)
  Community PI: Nivedita Mohanty, Erie Family Health Centers
  Academic PI: Shannon Haymond, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
  
  
• Assessing FQHC Patient Perspectives on the Implementation of a Patient Portal (REACH)
  Community PIs: Tim Long, Near North Health, and Elizabeth McKnight, AllianceChicago 
  Academic PI: Theresa Walunas, General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine

2011

• Improving Food Allergy Diagnoses and Treatment in Pediatric Clinics (PPRG)
  Community PI: Jonathan Necheles, Children’s Healthcare Associates
  Academic PI: Ruchi Gupta, Center for Allergy & Asthma Research, Feinberg School of Medicine
  
  
• Smartphone-Enhanced Behavioral Intervention to Improve Adherence to Physical Activity in Type 2 Diabetes (REACH)
  Community PI: Amisha Wallia, Northwestern Medicine
  Academic PI: Michael James Coons, Feinberg School of Medicine
  
  
• Provider-Guided Optimizaton of EHRTools to Facilitate Evidence Based Obesity Management for Adults
  Community PI: Deborah Edberg, Erie Family Health Centers
  Academic PI: Bonnie Spring, Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine

2010

• The Impact of a Community Health Center Peer Breastfeeding Counselor Intensive Support Program on Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration Through 8 Weeks Postpartum (REACH)
  Community PI: Marge Altergott, PCC Community Wellness Center
  Academic PI: Maryann Mason
  
  
• Deriving Standards for Specialty Care Referrals Among Primary Care Pediatrics (PPRG)
  Community PI: Gail Patrick, Erie Family Health Centers
  Academic PI: Thomas Halligan, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
  
  
• Pediatric Office-Based Hand Hygiene Education: A Prospective Study of Disease Prevention and Behavioral Modification (PPRG)
  Community PIs: Marge Altergott, PCC Community Wellness Center, and Barbara Bayldon, Lurie Children’s Pediatrics Uptown
  Academic PIs: Mary Groll and Megan McCarville, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

2009

• Parent Influences on Eating Behaviors in Early Childhood (PPRG)
  Community PI: David Dobkin and Tim Geleske, North Arlington Pediatrics
  Academic PI: Kelly Lowry, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
  
  
• Clinician-driven optimization of an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) to promote adherence to guidelines for the identification and care of overweight and obese children (PPRG)
  Community PI: Sara Naureckas and Sue Haverkamp, Erie Family Health Centers
  Academic PI: Adolfo Ariza, Pediatric Practice Research Group, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
  
  
• Using an Ambulatory Electronic Health Record (EHR) as an Outreach Tool to Improve Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates for a Low Income Patient Population (REACH)
  Community PI: Bechara Choucair, Heartland Health Outreach
  Academic PI: Muriel Jean-Jacques, General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine

2008

• Post-Infectious Functional GI Disorders in Children (PPRG)
  PI: Miguel Saps, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
  
  
• Doctor Communication and Parent Understanding (PPRG)
  Community PI: Mariana Glusman, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
  Academic PI: Barbara Bayldon, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago