Chapter 4. Using Research

The Effective Health Care Program Stakeholder Guide

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ's) research products are used by Federal and State agencies, patients, caregivers, clinicians, professional associations, consumer organizations, health delivery systems, payers, policymakers, and others committed to evidence-based health care. AHRQ research products provide health care decisionmakers the best available scientific evidence without making specific recommendations or evaluating cost.

Effective Health Care (EHC) Program research products can be used in myriad ways. Some examples include:

• Patients may use consumer summary guides to evaluate health care options, initiate discussions with their health care providers, and be actively involved in their health care decisions.
• Public and private sector organizations may use research reviews as a basis for developing clinical practice guidelines, performance measures, educational materials, and quality or operational improvement tools.
• Clinicians may use research reviews or clinician summary guides to evaluate health care options, initiate discussions with their patients, and deliver high-quality, evidence-based care.
• Clinicians may provide consumer summary guides to patients to help explain health care options, or reinforce health messages.
• Payers and insurers may use research reviews or policymaker summary guides to inform benefit and coverage decisions.
• Professional societies may use research reviews to develop professional guidelines Policymakers may use summary guides to design evidence-based policies that improve access to high quality care.
• Health care organizations can use research reviews or summary guides to develop and implement clinical decision support tools or other evidence-based practice tools Academic medical centers and universities can use EHC Program products to develop academic or continuing education curricula.