Getting the Methods Right — The Foundation of Patient-Centered Outcomes Research

The Methodology Committee of the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has released for public comment the draft of its first report recommending standards for the conduct of research leading to evidence-based, patient-centered health interventions. Health care in the United States has changed dramatically over the past several decades. Today, patients have more options than ever. Making the right choices, whether for prevention, diagnosis, or treatment, requires a critical appraisal of the potential benefits and harms of the options, within the context of the patient's characteristics, conditions, and preferences. Many of these choices are available thanks to advances in medical research. Yet most patients and many clinicians find research somewhat mysterious. They have difficulty sorting through the mountains of medical evidence to identify information that is reliable and actionable for their unique circumstances. Patient-centered outcomes . . .