The objective of the proposed investigation is to expand and strengthen health services research (HSR) capacity within the state of Arkansas through creation of the Arkansas Consortium for Health Services Research. The Consortium will bring together multiple research groups and health organizations within the state to facilitate the conduct of applied research that elucidates pathways for improving the quality, efficiency, accessibility, and equity of health care in Arkansas and, by extension, in many other rural and underserved areas of the country. Partners in the Consortium will include researchers from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Colleges of Public Health, Medicine, and Pharmacy along with the Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas BlueCross BlueShield, and the Arkansas Foundation for Medical ? Care. Through these partnerships, the Consortium will (1) develop and maintain research-quality databases from several under-utilized state data sources including Arkansas BlueCross BlueShield's enrollment and claims files, Arkansas Medicaid enrollment and claims files, and the Arkansas Hospital Discharge Data System; (2) develop multidisciplinary research mentorship, communication and skill-building opportunities for health services researchers across the state; (3) develop and administer an intramural HSR """"""""seed grant"""""""" program that provides dedicated programming time and a limited amount of funding to allow health services researchers to conduct pilot studies using Consortium data resources; and (4) develop a multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary HSR advisory board to guide the research activities of the Consortium, facilitate research translation and dissemination, and ensure effective coordination among all university and external partners. Through these partnerships, the Consortium will serve as a catalyst for increasing the volume and quality of externally-funded HSR studies conducted in Arkansas and for translating and applying the evidence from these studies to improve the delivery and financing of health care. ? ? ?
