A major barrier to integrating healthcare research into practice is that researchers often lack firsthand experience and knowledge of how healthcare organizations operate in what is becoming an increasingly complex and demanding environment. LeaRRN will provide formal mentored collaborative opportunities for rehabilitation researchers to engage with healthcare systems through a learning health systems (LHS) Scholar Program. The foundations of this program are our partnerships with a diverse group of eight health systems/organizations that represent the rehabilitation continuum of care and provide rich ?laboratories? for hands-on experiences. The overall objective of the Mentored Collaborative Opportunities component of LeaRRN is to facilitate the conduct of LHS research that is driven by health system partners? priorities. This will be achieved by creating productive and synergistic partnerships between rehabilitation researchers and health systems. This component has the following specific aims: 1) identify health system priority areas for improving the quality and value of rehabilitation care, by convening stakeholders and align these priorities with calls for LHS Scholars and pilot studies; 2) solicit and review applications for LHS Scholars; 3) facilitate productive and meaningful partnerships between LHS Scholars and health systems; 4) provide ongoing scientific mentoring for the partnerships; and 5) provide administrative oversight for the LHS Scholar Program. The LHS Scholar program will provide the researcher with resources and guidance to learn about the context of a health system, its current processes of rehabilitation care delivery and the data infrastructure to support LHS research. The LHS Scholar opportunity will also allow researchers to cultivate a meaningful relationship with health system stakeholders and begin preparatory work to conduct research on a priority topic identified by the healthcare system. These partnerships will be mentored by LeaRRN faculty, who will offer ongoing guidance as the researcher and health system formulate a plan to engage in the cycle of learning health systems research. At the end of the LHS Scholar year, the Scholar and health system will be well-positioned to take the work to the next level which may include seeking pilot study funding through the LeaRRN pilot study program or through other funding mechanisms. The LHS Scholar Program provides a mechanism for rehabilitation researchers and health systems to develop partnerships and formulate plans for addressing high-priority rehabilitation care issues using LHS research methods. These partnerships will produce novel insights and knowledge that will ultimately inform and accelerate the implementation of evidence into practice to improve the quality and value of rehabilitation care at the individual, system, and population level.
