1. The HMO Research Network (HMORN) is a consortium of research centers working in close partnership with health systems. Members conduct public domain health research on a wide range of diseases and cross-cutting topics. While the HMORN has established large topical research networks in cancer, cardiovascular health, mental health and other areas, the HMORN’s collective capacity remains relatively untapped for many important topics. BACKGROUND Possess well-developed infrastructure. Largely specialize in federally funded, investigator-initiated research. Feature a broad range of expertise, including observational and cluster trial study methods, comparative effectiveness research, clinical trials and social and behavioral science. Have over 400 scientific researchers, collectively. Topical and methodological expertise varies by center, but well- developed areas at multiple sites include: condition-specific emphases: diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, mental health conditions, and asthma. cross-cutting areas: chronic illness care, pharmacoepidemiology, women’s health, patient safety, multimorbidity, aging, vaccine safety, and health disparities. healthy living and prevention: obesity, nutrition and physical activity, and tobacco control. real world health systems research: translational research, dissemination, health care provider behavior change, and clinical quality improvement. methodology: observational studies methods, clinical trial methods, health informatics, cluster randomized trials, cost- effectiveness and genetics. clinical trials: Scott & White, Kaiser Permanente in Northwest, Northern California and Colorado regions, Marshfield, and Geisinger each carry out more than 50 trials per year. “I Didn’t Know They Did That!” Discovering and Maximizing the Capacity of the HMORN Ella Thompson, BS; Sarah Greene, MPH; Karin Johnson, PhD; Eric Larson, MD, MPH (Group Health Research Institute - Seattle, WA) John Steiner, MD, MPH (Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Research - Denver, CO) DIVERSE PAYMENT SYSTEMS: PERCENT WITH SPECIFIED BUSINESS MODELS Major component Minor* component Not a component Staff/group model integrated delivery system (HMO) 84%5%11% Contracted network or individuals53%42%5% Traditional indemnity, fee for service32%16%53% Point of service and third party administrator0%16%84% Preferred provider organization5%11%84% Integrated health system contracting for risk contracts with health plans *<25% of business model 0%5%95% 16 of 19 sites (84%) have facilities to carry out research lab tests or fill project-related prescriptions. 9 of 19 (47%) possess a separate research clinic where participants come for study tests. 7 of 19 (37%) feature a survey research department. All of the above available at: Group Health, Henry Ford, HealthPartners, Kaiser Northwest and Marshfield Clinic. SPECIAL RESEARCH FACILITIES HMORN RESEARCH CENTERS BROAD SCIENTIFIC EXPERTISE We gratefully acknowledge HMORN member sites for collecting and reporting this information; and Cancer Research Network Administrative Supplement: Developing an HMORN Collaboratory (National Cancer Institute Award No. 3-U19-CA-079689 – 12S). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS HMORN centers classified 45 research topics as “Powerhouse area” (multiple studies per year, particular depth or breadth exists), “Some Expertise” or “Not an emphasis.” Fourteen member centers completed an extensive written survey associated with an administrative supplement in mid-2011. The remaining 5 member centers responded to an abbreviated version of the survey in early 2012. METHODS Insurance coverage for the 16.7 million HMORN “covered lives” varies site to site and may include prepaid managed care, fee-for- service, and Medicare and Medicaid. Health care delivery models also vary greatly. Some patients may also need to go outside a given system for certain care. Researchers need to factor this in when using clinical and claims data for research. HMORN HEALTH SYSTEMS Topics with the strongest emphases across HMORN centers include those of the Network’s largest consortia. Multi-center networks have not yet mobilized around several other topics of strength. POWERHOUSE TOPICS The HMORN has the capacity to expand multicenter research to new areas. Monitoring expertise in the Network (both organizationally and individually) would help connect HMORN investigators to funding agencies, to new opportunities, and to one another. Additional scientific interest groups are one potential strategy to mobilize researchers with topical affinities and position the HMORN to expand its portfolio into new research topics in the future. MAXIMIZING HMORN CAPACITY HMORN researchers supply projects with a wide range of specialized methodological expertise. METHODOLOGICAL EXPERTISE Over half of HMORN centers report emphasis in the topics below. Few consortia or scientific interest groups exist on these topics. Other emerging topics included alcohol abuse, complementary and alternative medicine, environmental exposures (9 sites); nursing (7 sites); drug abuse, eye diseases, global health, general medical sciences (5 sites) and oral health and dentistry (4 sites). EMERGING EMPHASES