Priority driven research in primary health care: How well has the Australian primary health care research institute performed in knowledge translation?

The role of evidence in informing policy development in primary health care is particularly important for Australia as the government unfolds significant national health reform and moves to implement Australia’s first National Primary Health Care Strategy. The Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI) is a national centre of excellence in primary health care research which conducts and funds priority driven research. APHCRI’s work focuses on health services issues relating to the organisation, financing, delivery and performance of primary health care, including its interaction with public health and the secondary and tertiary health care sectors. APHCRI’s role is to strengthen the knowledge base of primary health care to inform policy and practice through conducting and supporting research; facilitate the uptake of evidence in primary health care policy and practice; and enhance research capacity in primary health care through strategic partnerships, APHCRI identifies and manages a national strategic program of research in primary health care and contributes to informed national debate in health policy and funding arrangements. In order to be informed about the efficacy of its model APHCRI commissioned a review to assess the processes used by APHCRI to fund research and the effectiveness of the synthesis and transfer of knowledge generated by APHCRI-funded research. This paper reports on the outcomes of that review.