The CFAR Network of Integrated Clinical Systems (CNICS) project is the first EMR-based resource network that will contribute to the contemporary HIV research agenda.

As a clinic-based research network, CNICS directly reflects the outcomes of clinical decisions and management options made daily in the care of HIV infected individuals.

Previous observational cohort studies have used structured questionnaires to interview patients about clinical events at three or six month intervals and have used medical record review to abstract relevant clinical data.

Unlike data collected in structured interviews or through retrospective medical record review, CNICS captures a broader range of information associated with the rapidly changing course of HIV disease management through collection of data at the point-of-care.

The application of standardized chart review adds a unique verification strategy to the point-of-care derived data. The flexibility of this consortium enables CNICS to address scientific questions that cannot be answered through any other collaborative cohorts, including those developed in response to the recently released IEDEA RFA.