PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Robert Rhyne AU - Andrew L. Sussman AU - Doug Fernald AU - Nancy Weller AU - Elvan Daniels AU - Robert L. Williams AU - On Behalf of PRIME Net Clinicians TI - Reports of Persistent Change in the Clinical Encounter Following Research Participation: A Report From the Primary Care Multiethnic Network (PRIME Net) AID - 10.3122/jabfm.2011.05.100295 DP - 2011 Sep 01 TA - The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine PG - 496--502 VI - 24 IP - 5 4099 - http://www.jabfm.org/content/24/5/496.short 4100 - http://www.jabfm.org/content/24/5/496.full SO - J Am Board Fam Med2011 Sep 01; 24 AB - Purpose: Following anecdotal reports of unexpected patient and/or clinician behavior change in the primary care encounter in a previous study, we conducted this study to learn more about the short- and long-term effects on clinician and/or patient behavior from participation in a practice-based research network (PBRN) study. Methods: Clinicians in two PBRN studies of Acanthosis nigricans were surveyed and interviewed 3 to 6 months following one study and surveyed 3 to 5 years following a second study. We gathered data on clinicians' reports of behavior change in the encounter, the persistence of those changes, and the likely causes of reported changes. Results: Eighty-six percent of clinicians in the short-term and 79% in the long-term samples reported more frequent diagnostic efforts, and 68% and 54%, respectively, reported more frequent preventive counseling after participation in the studies. Interview data suggested that several factors contributed to this reported behavior change: increased clinician knowledge, availability of a feasible tool to support counseling, change in patient receptivity/motivation, and creation of a new context for counseling. Conclusions: Reports of behavior change in the primary care encounter associated with a PBRN study suggest that PBRNs may be effective vehicles for education, translation, and practice change in addition to their value in research.