The Electronic Data Methods (EDM) forum for comparative effectiveness research (CER).
BACKGROUND
AcademyHealth convened the Electronic Data Methods (EDM) Forum to collect, synthesize, and share lessons from eleven projects that are building infrastructure and using electronic clinical data for comparative effectiveness research (CER) and patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR). This paper provides a brief review of participating projects and provides a framework of common challenges.


METHODS
EDM Forum staff conducted a text review of relevant grant programs' funding opportunity announcements; projects' research plans; and available information on projects' websites. Additional information was obtained from presentations provided by each project; phone calls with project principal investigators, affiliated partners, and staff from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); and six site visits.


RESULTS
Projects participating in the EDM Forum are building infrastructure and developing innovative strategies to address a set of methodological, and data and informatics challenges, here identified in a common framework. The eleven networks represent more than 20 states and include a range of partnership models. Projects vary substantially in size, from 11,000 to more than 7.5 million individuals. Nearly all of the AHRQ priority populations and conditions are addressed.


CONCLUSIONS
In partnership with the projects, the EDM Forum is focused on identifying and sharing lessons learned to advance the national dialogue on the use of electronic clinical data to conduct CER and PCOR. These efforts have the shared goal of addressing challenges in traditional research studies and data sources, and aim to build infrastructure and generate evidence to support a learning health care system that can improve patient outcomes.
Electronic Data Methods Forum, AcademyHealth, Washington, DC 20036, USA. erin.holve@academyhealth.org
Erin
E
Holve
Courtney
C
Segal
Marianne Hamilton
MH
Lopez
Alison
A
Rein
Beth H
BH
Johnson
D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008490:Medical Informatics; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D058996:Quality Improvement; D014481:United States; D016270:United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality