Outcomes research and emergency medical services for children: domains, challenges, and opportunities.
Outcomes research focuses on the end results of medical care. This paper describes the specific domains of outcomes research, namely, clinical effectiveness, quality of care, quality of life, patient satisfaction, cost-effectiveness, and organization of care, which are the primary domains of outcomes research. Specific examples of pediatric emergency medicine applications are provided for each domain. Outcomes research in the clinical specialties of pediatrics, emergency medicine, and emergency medical services is in an early stage of development relative to that of adult medicine. Thus, the intersection of these clinical specialties, pediatric emergency medicine, presents many challenges and opportunities.
Bordley
William Clayton
WC
Department of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, 27599-7225, USA. cbordley@med.unc.edu
D002648:Child; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D011788:Quality of Life