Our role

The Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (PHC RIS) is a national primary health care organisation based at Flinders University in South Australia in the Department of General Practice. It is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. PHC RIS works in partnership with the Divisions of General Practice Network, primary health care researchers and policy advisors to generate, manage and share information and knowledge that contributes to policy and improves performance.

Vision

PHC RIS envisages a well informed and responsive primary health care sector which can meet the health needs of Australians; where decision makers in practice and policy can obtain sound evidence from relevant and rigorous research and evaluation conducted with practitioners, consumers and policy advisors.

Mission

The mission of PHC RIS is to generate, manage and share information and knowledge that will inform, influence and enhance Australian primary health care practice, policy and research. PHC RIS will achieve this mission by working in partnership with three key stakeholder groups: primary health care researchers, primary health care policy advisors and the Divisions of General Practice Network.

Strategic goals

• Better understanding of primary health care activities and research.
• Improved access to data and information.
• Enhanced sharing of information and knowledge.

PHC RIS aims to:

• Generate knowledge for our key stakeholders about activities and outcomes of the Divisions of General Practice Network and primary health care research.
• Manage and facilitate access to data and information about the activities and outcomes of the Divisions of General Practice Network and primary health care research.
• Increase and promote sharing of information and knowledge among the Divisions of General Practice Network, researchers and policy advisors.
• Operate the PHC RIS organisation to the highest standards of governance.

Core functions

In fulfilling its aims, PHC RIS performs the following core functions:

• develops and provides appropriate information infrastructure to collect, analyse, interpret and disseminate information and knowledge in ways that maximise uptake of the information
• communicates with stakeholder groups and facilitates networking between them
• conducts applied research about effective sharing of knowledge and dissemination of information
• markets PHC RIS as an innovative responsive organisation aware of emerging issues, resources and ideas.

Funding

PHC RIS is funded by two braches of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, Primary Care Division:

• General Practice Divisions and Information Branch
• Primary Care Program Branch.