Learning health systems and the future of clinical research

Pediatric surgeons are collectively passionate about prioritizing the healthcare needs of children. We contend that this passion is deeply ingrained in how we drive clinical care and influence scientific discovery. Thus, the future of clinical research in our field will be deeply embedded in our history as a “patient-centric” profession. Service to pediatric patients requires an understanding of their needs and expectations, and designing research that acknowledges both. In this article we detail how future pragmatic clinical research will look in the evolving and learning health system.