The federal government's health care reform effort aims to get greater value from the nation's health care system and improve care for patients. Comparative effectiveness research offers one way to achieve these goals by weighing the benefits and risks of different tools and approaches to care to determine which work best in various circumstances and settings. INITIAL PRIORITIES FOR COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS RESEARCH, a new report from the Institute of Medicine, recommends 100 health topics that should get priority attention and funding from a new comparative effectiveness research initiative supported by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The report also recommends steps and resources needed to ensure that the initiative results in greater efficiency and better patient care.
Source: National Academy of Sciences