2013 Comparative Effectiveness Research and the Environment for Health Care Decision-Making
The National Pharmaceutical Council conducted its third annual survey of key health care stakeholders. The purpose was to set a baseline for where key stakeholders believe we are today on comparative effectiveness research. Of survey respondents, 90 percent said that CER was "somewhat" or "very important" to them or their organizations. A growing number of respondents are more familiar with the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute. A total of 114 stakeholders participated in the survey.
Authors: National Pharmaceutical Council, Social & Scientific Systems
Publication: March 2013
In its third annual survey of key health care stakeholders, NPC, working with the public health research firm Social & Scientific Systems (SSS), examined the environment for health care decisions, especially the current state of CER and its impact on medical decision making.
The purpose was to set a baseline for where key stakeholders believe we are today on CER and for tracking progress and judging future effects. According to the findings, respondents are expecting CER to have a larger impact on decision-making during the next five years, rather than in the near term.
CER Survey Highlights:
In the third survey to gauge attitudes around comparative effectiveness research (CER), the National Pharmaceutical Council was able to capture shifts in the conversation.
45 percent of survey respondents were “very familiar” with comparative effectiveness research and 39 percent of respondents were “somewhat familiar” with CER.
Of survey respondents, 90 percent said that CER was “somewhat” or “very important” to them or their organizations, a slight decrease from the 95 percent cited a year earlier.
However, the percentage that said CER was very important was lower than in the previous survey, declining from 64 percent in 2012 to 54 percent in 2013.
A growing number of respondents are more familiar with the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (80 percent answered “very familiar” and “somewhat familiar,” vs. 77 percent in 2012).
Respondents were asked for their opinions about which organizations were expected to play a significant role in specific aspects of CER in the next five years. These organizations included PCORI, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), private payers, academia and the pharmaceutical industry.
Who will help establish research standards around CER?
- PCORI (73 percent)
- AHRQ (70 percent)
- NIH (53 percent)
Who will establish research priorities?
- PCORI (73 percent)
- NIH (67 percent)
- AHRQ (65 percent)
Who will fund and monitor research?
- NIH (69 percent)
- Pharmaceutical and Medical Products Industry (66 percent)
- PCORI (61 percent)
Who will conduct comparative effectiveness research?
- Academia (82 percent)
- Pharmaceutical and Medical Products Industry (67 percent)
- NIH (50 percent)
CER Survey Parameters:
The survey, conducted from September 2012-January 2013, targeted key stakeholders who have an impact on, or are affected by, research involving medical effectiveness, including researchers/thought leaders; government; insurers and health plans; employers; business coalitions/HR specialists; and associations/trade groups. A total of 114 stakeholders participated.