title: Comparative effectiveness research - what is it and how does one do it?
abstract: Recent initiatives have increased focus on medical research that explores robust comparisons of clinical approaches broadly defined as comparative effectiveness research (CER). Federal mandates have generated definitions, established priorities, and offered organizational approaches for coordinating and conducting CER. This review will summarize the various definitions of CER, the role of cost assessment, and key study components of CER including study populations, study design, the use of secondary data, comparators employed in studies, outcome measures, and how results of CER should be disseminated.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. goss@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Christopher H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Goss
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tefft
mesh_terms: D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D015969:National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, U.S., Health and Medicine Division; D020380:Needs Assessment; D012042:Registries; D012107:Research Design; D014481:United States; D014483:United States Dept. of Health and Human Services
keywords: Comparative effectiveness research; Cost benefit analysis; Cost effectiveness analysis; Definitions; Paediatrics; Rare diseases