Practice-based research is central to our mission of advancing integrative health through real-world clinical evidence.
Practice-based research (PBR) is clinical investigation grounded in the outcomes of real-world care. Rather than relying on costly clinical trials, PBR draws from data already collected during integrative health visits—making it a practical, cost-effective way to study what works in everyday settings.
With support from the Krupp Endowed Fund, CIH uses PBR to evaluate the impact of our clinical programs on a range of health conditions. These studies help generate evidence that directly informs patient care, advances best practices, and improves outcomes across our community.
We also collaborate nationally through BraveNet, a 20+ member practice-based research network. Through initiatives like the PRIMIER registry, we contribute to standardized health data collection and cross-institutional insights into integrative medicine.
Active Studies
- UC San Diego Health Inpatient Acupuncture and Massage
- Supervised Lifestyle and Integrative Medicine (SLIM) program
- Center for Integrative Medicine (IM) Outpatient
- Food is Medicine (FIM) program
- Exercise is Medicine (EIM) program
- Health and Wellness Coaching CPT Code Utilization Study
- Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Service Study
- Integrative Medicine (IM) Consult Service Study
- IM PBR Pre and Post Survey Study
PRIMIER: 5,000 patients
CBD: UC San Diego, UCSF and Northwestern
ACUITY: NCCIH-funded U01 multicenter feasibility trial (Cleveland Clinics, Vanderbilt, UC San Diego) studying Acupuncture in the Emergency Department
Access PBR Workshop Materials
Visit the Resources page to explore the presentations and worksheets used at the periodically held CME workshops that help clinical faculty learn about and apply PBR in their clinics.