This laboratory provides regional infrastructure for the development, testing and evaluation of real clinical strategies to implement shared decision making (SDM). It supports the development of a primary care practice-based research network of the 12 family practice teaching units (FPTU) at Université Laval. More specifically, the laboratory offers 1) a multifunctional venue for training activities and for data collection on the practices of health professionals; 2) a networking centre for multisite research projects; 3) a location for the storing, retrieving and analysis of large quantities of electronic video data; and 4) a dedicated research space with essential information, technology hardware and software, and the necessary office material and furniture.
The laboratory complements Université Laval's well established teaching network of family practice teaching units. It will allow the network to develop into an effective clinically-based research network by providing:
1. A regional venue for studying the implementation of SDM in actual clinical settings;
2. A large and unique database of strategies to implement change in clinical practice;
3. In-house capacity for conducting primary care practice-based research and for supporting an original research program in implementation science and SDM;
4. A primary healthcare research network for graduate students in implementation science and SDM.
This laboratory is the country's first clinically-based regional laboratory dedicated to the study of the implementation of SDM in primary care.  

This practice-based research network (PBRN) is part of a North American PBRN network called Meta-Larc http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/familymedicine/ResearchAwards/ (Meta-network Learning and Research Center) that includes six PBRNs: 1) the Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network (ORPRN), 2) the Iowa Research Network (IRENE), 3) State Networks of Colorado Ambulatory Practices and Partners (SNOCAP), 4) OCHIN Safety Net West PBRN (SNW), 5) Quebec Practice-Based Research Network (QPBRN) and 6) the Wisconsin Research and Education Network (WREN). Meta-Larc is financed by a P30 grant from the AHRQ http://www.ahrq.gov/research/rescenters.htm