Jonathan E. Rhoads lecture 2012: improving patient care with practice-based research.

Practice-based research plays a pivotal role for improving patient care as its primary intent is to solve a clinical dilemma or problem encountered in clinical practice. Its results are immediately applicable to day-to-day clinical practice and essential to the growth of an evidence-based clinical practice. This review emphasizes the importance of this type of research. In addition, it serves to identify common sources for project conception and gives examples based on personal experiences of the author as a clinical practitioner, educator, and researcher. Common barriers to practice-based research are discussed as well as potential solutions offered for consideration.