Appendix C: Standardized Selection Criteria

The Effective Health Care Program Stakeholder Guide

A. Appropriateness

1. Represents a health care drug, intervention, device, or technology available (or soon to be available) in the United States.
2. Relevant to Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, or other Federal health care programs.
3. Represents one of the priority conditions designated by the Department of Health and Human Services.

B. Importance

1. Represents a significant disease burden; for a large proportion of the U.S, population or for a priority population in particular.
2. Is of high public interest; affects health care decisionmaking, outcomes, or costs for a large proportion of the U.S. population or for a priority population in particular.
3. Was nominated/strongly supported by one or more stakeholder groups.
4. Represents important uncertainty for decisionmakers.
5. Incorporates issues around both benefits and potential harms.
6. Represents important variation in clinical care, or controversy in what constitutes appropriate clinical care.
7. Represents high costs due to common use, to high unit costs, or to high associated costs to consumers, to patients, to health care systems, or to payers.

C. Feasibility/Desirability of New Research

1. Effectively utilizes existing research and knowledge by considering—
   • Adequacy (type and volume) of research for conducting a systematic review.
   • Newly available evidence (particularly for updates or new technologies).
2. Would not be redundant; (i.e., the proposed topic is not already covered by available or soon-to-be available high-quality systematic review by AHRQ or others.)

D. Potential Value

1. Potential for significant health impact:
   • To improve health outcomes.
   • To reduce significant variation in clinical practices known to be related to quality.
   • To reduce unnecessary burden on those with health care problems.
2. Potential for significant economic impact: to reduce unnecessary or excessive costs.
3. Potential for change:
   • The proposed topic exists within a clinical, consumer, or policymaking context that is amenable to evidence-based change.
   • A product from the EHC program could be an appropriate vehicle.
4. Potential risk from inaction: unintended harms from lack of prioritization of a nominated topic.
5. Addresses inequities, vulnerable populations (including issues for patient subgroups).
6. Addresses a topic that has clear implications for resolving important dilemmas in health and health care decisions made by one or more stakeholder groups.