Program Snapshot

The United States continues to experience major declines in health and the life expectancy of its population significantly lags behind that of other developed countries. To address this challenge from a research perspective, there is a critical need to: (1) extend research opportunities to where patients live, work, and seek medical care such that the research focuses on issues facing the frontlines of medicine; (2) design research studies that address clinical conditions of critical importance to primary care practitioners and patients, and generate findings readily implemented in primary care settings; and (3) facilitate research participation across the nation, with the ultimate goals of: accelerating research advances and adoption into everyday clinical care, improving health outcomes, and advancing  access to clinical research for all Americans. 

On June 6, 2024, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced the launch of the CARE for Health™ initiative, a pilot to test the feasibility of a network of networks to embed clinical research in primary care settings – the frontline of clinical practice.

This network will address barriers to clinical research participation by integrating innovative research with routine clinical care in real world settings. During the first two years of the program, funded Network Research Hubs will engage rural communities across the nation to participate in clinical studies addressing common and chronic clinical conditions that impact all Americans and are of critical importance to primary care practitioners and patients. 

Key Features of CARE for Health™: 

• Engagement of primary care providers and patient communities to identify pressing health challenges that, if addressed through robust studies, would meaningfully inform clinical care and improve health outcomes.
• Sustainable and effective partnership model to build trusted relationships that promote partnerships and foster collaboration, transparency, mutual learning, and improved health outcomes.
• Reduce burden on health care providers with study designs that leverage advances in technology, common data models, and data sharing.
• Inform clinical practice through integration of rigorous science with routine clinical care and enhancing dissemination and implementation of findings in primary care settings.
• Leverages existing networks, resources, and NIH studies from across the NIH ICOs through a cross-disciplinary “whole person health” approach to maximize impact as well as efficiency and synergy in resource utilization.

Interested in receiving program updates? 
Sign up for the NIH Common Fund’s CARE for Health email listserv to receive periodic updates on program planning and activities.

CARE for Health™ is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).