Examining how health system ownership affects primary care quality and whole health.
Official title: Assessing the Impact of Health System Ownership on Fulfilling the Vision of High-Quality Primary Care and Whole Health
Funded at Virginia Commonwealth University · NIH-11057145 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how having health systems own primary care practices affects the quality of care you receive, and it’s gathering thoughts from both patients and healthcare providers to understand their experiences better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $49,777 |
| NIH project number | 1R03HS030016-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11057145 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation include patients receiving primary care in Virginia, particularly those who have experienced care under different ownership models.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not receive primary care services or those outside of Virginia may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the ownership of primary care practices by health systems influences the quality of care provided to patients. By utilizing multimedia surveys and focus group interviews, the study aims to gather insights from both patients and healthcare providers about their experiences and perceptions of care under different ownership models. The research will also explore contextual factors that may affect the delivery of high-quality primary care and whole health, particularly in light of recent changes in practice ownership in Virginia.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved primary care practices that better meet the needs of patients and enhance overall health outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: While this research builds on existing literature regarding primary care ownership, it employs a novel mixed-methods approach that has not been extensively tested in this specific context.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brooks, E. Marshall — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Brooks, E. Marshall
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
HEARTS hypertension and diabetes care in Guatemala
This grant tests how well the HEARTS primary care model works in Guatemala to improve blood pressure and blood sugar control for patients.
-
Primary Care HEART-NET: boosting access to research in the Deep South
A collaboration across three universities will build primary care research networks in Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi to improve access to care and help prevent and manage chronic diseases.
-
Primary Care Bridge: Building Research in Diverse Geographic Settings
A national network hub in New Mexico will connect rural clinics and communities to faster, more usable primary care research so patients in underserved areas can benefit from new evidence.
-
WREN: Expanding Research Capacity in Rural Primary Care Clinics
A nationwide network in Wisconsin will strengthen rural primary care clinics to participate in real-world research and bring more clinical trials to communities.
-
Primary care research network in Oklahoma to boost rural patient trials
A nationwide NIH-supported effort to strengthen Oklahoma’s primary care research network so doctors can run big clinical trials and real‑world studies in rural communities.
-
PRaCTICe: A Rural and Frontier Clinical Trials Innovation Center
A nationwide network is creating easier, community-led clinical trials in rural and frontier areas to bring more trials to patients where they live.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.