Who is Involved in the Effective Health Care Program

The Effective Health Care (EHC) Program partners with networks of researchers and clinical teams across North America, using input from stakeholders throughout the process of comparative effectiveness research, translation, dissemination, and implementation of research findings.

Research

• Individual investigators and their research groups at academic institutions and other research centers generate new evidence from original research.
• Healthcare Horizon Scanning System identifies new and emerging issues for comparative effectiveness review investments.
• Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPCs) perform in-depth reviews of existing evidence.
• The DEcIDE (Developing Evidence to Inform Decisions about Effectiveness) Research Network gathers new knowledge on specific treatments and health care services.
• Centers for Education & Research on Therapeutics (CERTs) conduct research and educate clinicians and consumers about drugs, biologicals, and medical devices.
• The Scientific Resource Center provides scientific support for the EHC Program.

Translation, Dissemination and Implementation

• The John M. Eisenberg Center for Clinical Decisions and Communications Science organizes the research results into summaries and other tools that are useful to clinicians, health care policymakers, and patients.
• The National Initiative for Promoting Evidence-Based Health Information disseminates the research and related products through media outreach, national partnership development, and online virtual centers.
• The Regional Partnership Development Offices work to establish and cultivate sustainable dissemination partnerships at the State, regional, and local levels.
• Online Continuing Education develops and accredits continuing education modules based on the Program’s research results for physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, nurses, medical assistants, and other allied health professionals.
• The Academic Detailing project provides in-person visits to clinicians and health care system decisionmakers to help them understand and use the research.
• The Systematic Dissemination Program Evaluation will measure the effectiveness of the National Initiative for Promoting Evidence-Based Health Information, the Regional Partnership Development Offices, the Online Continuing Education, and the Academic Detailing projects by assessing awareness, understanding, and behavior changes or use among target audiences.

Stakeholder Engagement

• The Community Forum aims to improve and expand public and stakeholder engagement in AHRQ’s comparative effectiveness research and EHC Program.
• The Stakeholder Group provides different perspectives on the EHC Program from individual members of the Group.