Started in 1972, the Dartmouth CO-OP Primary Care Research Network (The Dartmouth CO-OP Project) is one of the oldest primary care research networks in the United States. Its original goals were to provide professional stimulation and collegial interaction among physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, to conduct cooperative research in primary care, improve the primary care services, to improve office management technique, and to sponsor continuing education. The Project has published more than 40 articles and book chapters, spanning pediatrics to geriatrics, and its work in evaluation of patient outcomes.

The Dartmouth Primary Cooperative Research Network is a voluntary, cooperative network of independent clinicians. The CO-OP collaborates with academic researchers to improve the outcomes focus of care and develop products that work in busy community-practice settings.

Recently, the Dartmouth CO-OP Project developed and tested a replicable model for improving care practices. This model contains, at its core, simple, easily administered, self-scoring measures for screening, assessing and monitoring patient function called the Dartmouth CO-OP Charts. The CO-OP Charts, along with age and gender-specific questions, are used to predict utilization and assess the full range of patient needs and the degree to which these needs will be addressed by the health care system.

A major advantage of the approach provided by the CO-OP Charts model is that it serves the practice by facilitating patient care and “front line” improvement. A controlled trial of this model has been expanded to teenage, dialysis, adult, and Spanish-speaking populations. The Charts, endorsed by the World Organization of General Practitioners/Family Physicians, are available in 20 languages.

Mission Statement

The Dartmouth CO-OP Primary Care Research Network (The Dartmouth CO-OP Project) is a voluntary and cooperative network of primary care clinicians and other health professionals coordinated by the Department of Community and Family Medicine of Dartmouth Medical School. Started in 1972, The Dartmouth CO-OP Project is one of the oldest primary care practice-based research networks in the country.

The mission of the Dartmouth CO-OP Project is to:

1. Generate funded research and publish results to support the practice of evidence-based medicine
2. Provide opportunities for clinicians and other health professionals to develop new research skills
3. Perform research studies in partnership with primary care clinicians, their patients and the communities they serve to improve health care delivery and patient outcomes
4. Facilitate clinical translation in both directions, using the expertise of clinicians to guide the research and extending the expertise of researchers to support clinicians.

Aim
Develop the Dartmouth CO-OP Project’s leadership position at Dartmouth, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC), in the region/community, and nationally regarding its work in research, quality improvement, and education. This includes securing a central role in the developing Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program (SYNERGY) structure, vital, energetic collaborative research community.

Governing Board Members: 

Maureen Boardman, NP – Little Rivers Healthcare, Bradford, VT

Melanie Lawrence, MD – Newbury Health Clinic, Newbury, VT

Charles Maclean, MD – University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

Jack Kirk, MD, New London Hospital, New London, NH

Sarah Kemble, MD, Springfield, VT

Rich Frost, MD, Plattsburgh, NY

Rebecca Yukica, DO, Upper Valley Pediatrics, Bradford & Thetford, VT

Peter Mason, MD retired, Good Neighbor Clinic, White River Junction, VT

Jeremiah Eckhuas, MD, Integrative Family Medicine, Montpelier, VT

Patient Representative(s):