WELCOME TO THE PACER NETWORK

Patient-centred care is widely advocated as fundamental to healthcare delivery and is a strategic priority of many healthcare organisations across Australia and internationally. However, this requires evidence about the preferences, needs and values of patients and their families, as well as active patient involvement. The methodologies used in patient-centred research and the processes for engaging and involving patients in research and healthcare are dynamic, evolving and challenging. The PACER Network provides a unique opportunity for researchers and health professionals to exchange learnings, collaborate, access relevant resources, and receive training in patient-centred research and patient involvement.

The PACER Network is a joint initiative of The University of Sydney, and the Kids Research at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead Hospital, and the Westmead Institute for Medical Research. The network was established in 2018 and the aim of the network is to facilitate knowledge exchange, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and innovation in conducting and implementing patient-centred outcomes research and patient involvement in research.

• Patient-centred research generates evidence that helps patients and their caregivers communicate and make informed decisions about their health. Understanding their values, goals, and priorities are needed to inform patient-centred care.  → evidence
• Patient involvement refers to patients being active partners in research who contribute their experiences and perspectives across the stages of the research process – setting the research priorities, designing, conducting, reporting, and disseminating research. → partnership

Our core activities will include monthly webinars and training workshops on a range of topics including qualitative research, choice experiments, patient involvement, consensus methods, research priority-setting and health literacy. We also provide curated resources and moderate a listserv and forum for all PACER members.

For more information: Please join the mailing list to receive information and advance registration for workshops, webinars, relevant resources, and funding and research opportunities.