What is PECARN?

Child In AmbulancePECARN (Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network) is a collaborative research network of over 20 Hospital Emergency Department Affiliates (HEDAs). This network consists of four research nodes and a central data management center (CDMCC) organized by a steering committee.

PECARN is a joint project of the Health Resources and Services Administration- Maternal and Child Health Bureau's (HRSA/MCHB) Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program and Maternal and Child Health Research Program and it is the first and only federally-funded national pediatric emergency medicine research network.

PECARN provides the leadership and infrastructure to:

  • conduct multi-center research studies
  • support research collaboration among EMSC investigators
  • promote informational EMSC exchanges between EMSC investigators and providers

Goals of PECARN

The goal of this network is to conduct meaningful and rigorous multi-institutional research into the prevention and management of acute illnesses and injuries in children and youth across the continuum of emergency medicine health care.

PECARN  will work with diverse demographic populations and across varied geographical regions to promote the health of children in all phases of care. To accomplish these tasks, PECARN provides the leadership and infrastructure needed to promote multi-center studies, support research collaboration among EMSC investigators, and encourage informational exchanges between EMSC investigators and providers.

Who Created PECARN

In 2001, 2005, and 2008 the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program awarded four cooperative agreements to academic medical centers through a competitive process entitled the EMSC Network Development Demonstration Program (EMSC-NDDP). These cooperative agreements form PECARN.

In September of 2002, 2006, and 2009, a cooperative agreement was awarded to the University of Utah to serve as the Central Data Management and
Coordinating Center for PECARN.

Strength of PECARN

PECARN's strength is in its wide geographical and hospital representation serving over 800,000 ill and injured children annually within a network of Hospital Emergency Department Affiliates.The PECARN hospitals represent diverse demographic and geographic areas, such as:

  • Academic hospitals
  • Community hospitals
  • Urban hospitals
  • General hospitals
  • Children's hospitals

PECARN is also comprised of senior-level EMSC researchers and clinicians with expertise in epidemiology, statistics and health services research.