Patient outcomes research teams: Contribution to outcomes and effectiveness research

This paper describes the key methodological and substantive findings of Pat ient Outcomes Research Teams, the first outcomes and effectiveness research centers funded by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. Patient Outcomes Research Teams contributed to our increased understanding of how t o perform meta analysis on nontrial data, use administrative data to charac terize patterns of care, develop general and disease-specific outcome measu res, and disseminate important outcome information to patients and physicia ns to reduce practice variation. Patient Outcomes Research Teams also influ enced the development of outcomes measurement in the private sector.