# A Chicago Center of Excellence in Learning Health Systems Research Training (ACCELERAT)

> **NIH AHRQ K12** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $704,506

## Abstract

Project Summary
The Learning Health System (LHS) is a model in which science, informatics, incentives and culture align to
improve care quality and generate novel findings which readily translate directly into routine care. Most training
programs focus on supporting knowledge generation but do not support the development of researchers
trained to embed within a LHS and efficiently translate their research into patient centered care. We propose A
Chicago Center of Excellence in Learning Health Systems Research Training (ACCELERAT) to develop
the next generation of health system transformation leaders. ACCELERAT is anchored by a tightly integrated
team of Northwestern University researchers and Northwestern Medicine health care quality experts, along
with the living laboratory of the 11 health care institutions across Chicago which constitute the PCORnet
Clinical Data Research Network, the Chicago Area Patient Centered Outcomes Research Network
(CAPriCORN). Core training domains in ACCELERAT are led by experts in mentorship and training, health
services research, informatics, patient reported outcomes, quality improvement in health systems, and
fostering a culture of change. The systems and clinics in Northwestern Medicine and CAPriCORN have
advanced use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) specifically for Quality Improvement (QI) and Patient
Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR). The diverse institutions in ACCELERAT provide care across the
patient life spectrum from pediatrics to geriatrics, and across all care settings (from pre-patient to acute
inpatient care and rehabilitation). Our faculty and pool of eligible scholar candidates are diverse and draw from
the Chicagoland region, with several faculty who lead their own related training programs. The proposed K12
Scholars Program will reside within the Northwestern Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM), with
multiple centers that will provide rich resources for the program. Chief amongst these are two centers led by
the MPIs: The Center for Health Information Partnerships (CHIP, Director Kho) and the Center for Patient-
Centered Outcomes (CPCO, Director Cella). ACCELERAT will serve as a national leader in teaching core LHS
research competencies aimed to train our future LHS leaders to transform care delivery and advance PCOR
within the context of delivering quality health care. To achieve this, we draw upon deep commitment and broad
expertise and resources across Northwestern University, the Northwestern Medicine health system, and
PCORnet's CAPriCORN consortium. Across the five years of the program, Scholars will benefit from a
structured didactic program to ensure mastery of core competencies, coupled with a tailored mentoring and
health system navigation approach to advance their careers. The training program will be evaluated and
advised through a novel combination of formative and summative Scholar-focused reviews.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10263178
- **Project number:** 5K12HS026385-04
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** PATRICIA D FRANKLIN
- **Activity code:** K12 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** AHRQ
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $704,506
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-30 → 2023-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10263178

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10263178, A Chicago Center of Excellence in Learning Health Systems Research Training (ACCELERAT) (5K12HS026385-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10263178. Licensed CC0.

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