Our mission is to improve health and transform care delivery through primary care research and implementation. 

We engage primary care clinicians who inform our investigative direction and focus, and encourage them to develop research questions and perspectives relevant to their everyday experiences.  Collaboration is the key to ACORN’s success, relying on strong partnerships with practices, health systems, other universities and PBRNs, community organizations, businesses, insurers, and public health entities.  Our relationships help to inform study ideas, carry out interventions, interpret and disseminate findings, and ensure that positive transformative methods found are implemented into practice.

ACORN consists of more than 100 primary care practices in the commonwealth of Virginia who currently collaborate, or have previously collaborated, with us on research activities.  An additional 200 practices have been partners in academic and service activities. These practices serve suburban, urban, and rural communities throughout Virginia, range in size from 1 to 18 providers, and operate under diverse ownership models —essentially representing the entire spectrum of primary care in Virginia. ACORN has affiliations with multiple health systems across the state, with many receiving designations as Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMH).

Visit the ACORN website.