High Plains Research Network

The High Plains Research Network (HPRN) was formed in 1997 and included the rural hospitals and clinics in the nine counties of northeast rural Colorado.  In 2008, we expanded to include all sixteen counties of eastern rural Colorado.  The network includes 16 hospitals ranging from six to 40 acute care beds all between 50 and 180 miles from the closets tertiary care center.  Over 55 primary care practices are also part of the network. The HPRN region covers 30,000 square miles and is home to 150,000 people.

In 2003, HPRN formed a Community Advisory Council (C.A.C.) to help identify and guide the research projects done by HPRN.   Working with the C.A.C. reveals how much High Plains practices live within the context of their communities.  Doing community-based participatory research integrates our work in practices with communities and vice versa.  Working with the C.A.C. makes our research more meaningful to communities, patients, and the community of practices.