Cochrane's organizational structure features review groups, centers, fields and methods groups. Collectively these groups support the mission of the organization and prepare Cochrane reviews.
The Cochrane review groups focus on particular areas of health. Groups comprise contributors from around the world, and each has an editorial base that supports the preparation and maintainance of the group's systematic reviews. Some groups have established satellites to help share the work of the group, either by taking on a particular editorial function or by supporting contributors from a particular country or region. The following groups and satellites have their base in the US:
Review Groups
> Fertility Regulation - @CochraneFrg, based at Oregon Health & Science University. The Fertility Regulation group addresses the process by which people regulate their fertility, family size and spacing of births, with a focus on contraception and abortion.
> Neonatal - @Cochraneneonate, based at the University of Vermont and the Vermont Oxford Network. The Cochrane Neonatal group prepare and disseminate evidence-based, regularly updated reviews of the effects of therapies in neonatal-perinatal medicine (interventions involving the baby during the first month after birth).
> Urology - @Cochraneurology, based at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System and the University of Minnesota Department of Urology. The Cochrane Urology group mission is to conduct and disseminate systematic reviews of health care interventions and diagnostic accuracy for prostatic diseases, male sexual dysfunction, urology-related renal topics and urologic cancers. Evidence is primarily from randomized controlled trials.
Satellites of Cochrane Review Groups
> Eyes and Vision US - @CochraneEyes, based at University of Colorado Denver. The overall objective of the satellite is to develop a critical mass of US-based vision researchers and practitioners who are trained in preparing and using systematic reviews as part of Cochrane Eyes and Vision review group.
> Musculoskeletal US - @CochraneMSK, based at the Birmingham VA Medical Center. The Cochrane Musculoskeletal review group facilitates development of subgroups tackling each of the separate areas of musculoskeletal disease, including gout, lupus erythematosus, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, pediatric rheumatology, rheumatoid arthritis, soft tissue conditions, spondylo-arthropathy, systemic sclerosis and vasculitis.
> Pregnancy and Childbirth US - @CochranePCG, based at Central Michigan University School of Health Sciences. The US satellite works to promote evidence-based medicine dissemination in everyday practice to obstetrics providers across the US, especially within rural and medically-underserved regions, in partnership with stakeholders, to advance pregnancy and childbirth optimal outcomes in the US and worldwide.
Fields
Fields identify health issues of importance to specific populations and/or intervention types, support knowledge translation iniatives among particluar groups of health professionals, and contribute to reviews across all relevant review groups. The Complementary Medicine Field is based at the University of Maryland. Their primary aims and activities include: producing systematic reviews on complementary, alternative and integrative medicine (CAM) therapies; improving access to and dissemination of Cochrane reviews on CAM to a worldwide audience; and promoting an evidence-based approach to healthcare in the area of CAM therapies.