Partnership to Improve Patient Care

In addition to being included in the governance of a CER institute, patients and providers should have a central in deciding which research questions the institute should answer.
Having an open, patient-centered process for setting research goals and allowing patient and provider voices to be heard will ensure that comparative research yields results that are relevant to them. By working on the research questions that matter most to patients and doctors, the institute's work will have the maximum positive affect on improved patient outcomes and health care quality.
Assuring that studies are technically sound and appropriate will enhance the research's credibility. Poorly done CER has the potential to undermine high-quality health care. Methods for conducting CER are still maturing, and it will be critical to ensure that studies undergo an independent peer-review process before research results are finalized and incorporated into the health care delivery system.