title: Ability and Use of Comparative Effectiveness Research by P&T Committee Members and Support Staff: A 1-Year Follow-up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent years, comparative effectiveness tools and methods have evolved to assist health care decision makers in identifying optimal therapies. In-person training programs on comparative effectiveness research may be helpful in understanding and applying this information.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To provide a follow-up assessment of the use of comparative effectiveness research (CER) in the pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committee decision-making process, using information collected from participants 1 year after attending a live continuing education program, in which participants were taught about CER designs and how to access available CER resources through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Effective Health Care (EHC) Program.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective, cross-sectional questionnaire was developed and mailed to 2 groups of individuals: CER workshop attendees and interested nonattendees (expressing an interest in attending a workshop but did not attend for unknown reasons). The questionnaire asked respondents to indicate personal and organizational use of CER in the decision-making process. Participants were asked to indicate whether their knowledge, ability, and use of CER studies increased since participating in the program. Data were analyzed using nonparametric tests to compare the responses of attendees and nonattendees, as well as overall reliability of the instrument.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 164 respondents completed the questionnaire (63 attendees and 101 nonattendees; overall response rate = 44%). The majority of respondents were pharmacists (n = 157, 95.7%) and were affiliated with a hospital (n = 106, 64.6%). Proportions of attendees and nonattendees differed significantly in the use of EHC research reviews/reports (45% and 28%, respectively; P = 0.02) and EHC executive summaries of research reviews/reports (48% and 29%, respectively; P = 0.01). At 1-year follow-up, the majority of attendees reported an increase ("somewhat" or "very much") in knowledge of CER (91.5%), ability to use CER (83.0%), and use of CER studies (58.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health professionals attending a continuing education CER program reported higher use of EHC CER materials compared with nonattendees. Additionally, attendees reported increased use of CER in clinical decision making. A continuing education program such as this may provide an effective avenue for introducing CER methods and resources to the P&T committee and clinical decision-making processes.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This project was supported by grant number R18HS019220 from the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality. Augustine has stock in Pfizer. The authors declared no other potential conflicts of interest associated with this study. Study concept and design were primarily contributed by Malone, along with Warholak, Hines, Brown, Hurwitz, and Taylor. Warholak, Hines, Brown, Hurwitz, and Taylor collected the data, assisted by Malone, Brixner, Cobaugh, and Schlaifer. Data interpretation was performed by Malone and Augustine, with assistance from the other authors. The manuscript was written primarily by Augustine, with assistance from Malone, Sun, Warholak, Hines, Brown, Hurwitz, and Taylor. Malone revised the manuscript, assisted by Warholak, Hines, Brown, Hurwitz, Taylor, Brixner, Cobaugh, and Schlaifer.
authors.affiliation: 1 The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson.
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Augustine
authors.affiliation: 1 The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson.
authors.forename: Terri L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Warholak
authors.affiliation: 1 The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson.
authors.forename: Lisa E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Hines
authors.affiliation: 1 The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: 1 The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: 1 The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hurwitz
authors.affiliation: 1 The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson.
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: 2 University of Utah College of Pharmacy, Salt Lake City.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brixner
authors.affiliation: 3 American Society for Health-Systems Pharmacists, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Cobaugh
authors.affiliation: 4 Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, Alexandria, Virginia.
authors.forename: Marissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlaifer
authors.affiliation: 1 The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson.
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Malone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D032802:Committee Membership; D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004493:Education / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000639:trends; D010604:Pharmacy / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires