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PROS Committee Page:(last updated Feb 11, 2010)
What's New: NEW ARTICLE ABOUT PROS: (posted Feb 11, 2010) The following article was published in the Fall 2009 Green Mountain Pediatrician newsletter, Vermont Chapter AAP
Why PROS? Seeing the many kids rapidly increasing weight and BMI, have you questioned…”just what WOULD succeed in reversing this child’s trend toward obesity?” Has a parent ever asked when you thought their son would start into puberty? Walking into an exam room and trying not to cough at the acrid smell of tobacco smoke being exhaled by a parent, have you been frustrated because the patient continues to wheeze? And how can you convince the parents not only to place the child on maintenance inhaled corticosteroids, but also to keep a smoke free home or quit altogether? Have you wondered what you can offer a family when the child is having behavioral or mood problems and they can’t get access to a mental health professional? Are there office or practice routines you think might be improved? And how do you get it done? These are all topics that PROS practitioners and researchers have wondered about and are the subject of prior, current, or pending PROS research projects. What research questions do you have? During these very busy times and pressured practice environments, it may seem daunting to participate in any research project. Although the financial compensation is usually minimal, the personal and professional rewards are truly maximal. The PROS practitioner does have an incredible central staff at the AAP main office in Elk Grove Village who will guide and assist through all phases of a PROS study from start to finish. If you need help with a local IRB (if you don’t know what that is, then luckily you probably do NOT have a local IRB), the PROS staff can help with the application and the renewal processes. All PROS studies have exceptional researchers who help participating physicians design all aspects of the study and all are usually approved by both a University and the AAP IRB. The study protocols are usually simple and easily integrated into a busy office practice…this is because the PROS coordinators, who are almost all full time busy clinicians, hammer/cut/paste/knead/modify and usually pilot test every PROS study prior to rolling it out to the general PROS practitioners.
Many PROS practices have an office manager or lead person in the office interested and willing to help with studies (keeping logs, getting consents, or organizing study paperwork). Often, the studies will have some honorarium that can be used to reward the staff or an ad hoc research assistant. Although the studies are designed to be able to be performed in a busy pediatric practice, all studies will take some time from the practitioner’s day (full disclosure!), and help and buy in from staff is always appreciated. The personal and professional rewards, again, are what drive the thousands of PROS practitioners from throughout the United States and Canada and Puerto Rico to continue in this research network. Mission and Guiding Principles In 2003, PROS agreed to the following revised mission statement: The mission of PROS is to improve the health of children and enhance primary care practice by conducting national collaborative practice-based research. PROS also agreed to five Guiding Principles, the first two being:
If this mission and guiding principles resonate with you, then we encourage you to join PROS. There are several very exciting studies you can join now, and others coming up soon. Participation will reward you with a sense of contribution to the field of pediatrics that will compliment your satisfaction in helping your individual patients and families. PROS Web Site Committee Archives: Committee Useful Links: |
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