title: Comparative effectiveness in neurosurgery: what it means, how it is measured, and why it matters.
abstract: Comparative effectiveness research has recently been the subject of intense discussion. With congressional support, there has been increasing funding and publication of studies using comparative effectiveness and related methodology. The neurosurgical field has been relatively slow to accept and embrace this approach. The author outlines the procedures and rationale of comparative effectiveness, illustrates how it applies to neurosurgical topics, and explains its importance.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA. Sherman.stein@uphs.upenn.edu
authors: Sherman C
authors: SC
authors: Stein
mesh_terms: D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D016896:Treatment Outcome