CER Collaborative Offers New Tools and Training for New Challenges
Comparative effectiveness research (CER) can help decision-makers use evidence-based insights to improve health care and outcomes for patients. But do decision-makers have the tools and training they need to effectively evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of CER studies, integrate findings across studies and apply findings to real-world decisions? A new peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Managed Care and Specialty Pharmacy provides an encouraging “yes.”
Comparative effectiveness research (CER) can help decision-makers use evidence-based insights to improve health care and outcomes for patients. But do decision-makers have the tools and training they need to effectively evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of CER studies, integrate findings across studies and apply findings to real-world decisions? A new peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Managed Care and Specialty Pharmacy provides an encouraging “yes.”
In the study, authors review and share evaluation results of an innovative, online tool and certificate program aimed at helping health care decision-makers—including pharmacists, clinicians, administrators, and pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committee members—evaluate and apply new and different types of CER studies in daily practice. The tools were developed by the CER Collaborative—composed of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) and the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC)—and was supplemented with a certificate training program designed and delivered through a partnership with the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. The tools and training sought to address the challenges associated with using CER studies in decision-making due to a lack of awareness and understanding of newer CER studies, and the lack of tools to assess the quality of studies. The online tools and 19-credit-hour training program enable decision-makers to evaluate one or multiple types of studies at a time specifically to:
- Assess the credibility and relevancy of three types of research studies, including observational studies, indirect treatment comparisons or network meta-analyses, and modeling studies.
- Consistently and transparently synthesize multiple studies, allowing for better understanding of the risks and benefits of therapies and the certainty of the evidence.
As part of the study, authors evaluated the self-reported abilities of 71 certificate program learners to interpret and use CER study findings, after completing the program at a professional conference or on-site at an integrated health plan site. Authors found significant improvements in learners’ abilities and confidence to critically appraise diverse CER study designs and use evidence from CER studies in their decision-making. Findings showed:
- Most learners (63 percent) indicated they would increase their use of CER studies to address at least 1-2 problem decisions each month.
- The self-assessed ability to interpret and apply CER studies increased 27 percent–60 percent across learners.
- Overall, learners indicated that they were highly confident in their CER evidence assessment abilities at program completion.
The study demonstrates that, with the right tools and training in hand, the promise of CER to improve decision-making is well within reach.
To learn more about the CER Collaborative, read the JMCP study, demo the certificate program, enroll as an individual learner or department-wide activity, view background materials and videos on NPC’s website, and log-in – at no charge – to try out the online tools.