Making Comparative Effectiveness Research a Stronger, More Relevant Tool for Employers

Over the years, scientific and clinical research has focused mainly on the clinical impact and safety of treatments associated with pharmaceutical, procedural and surgical interventions. This research has supported the clinical and research community in continuously improving patientcentered outcomes. However, much of this research has not typically been designed for, or used by, employers and other healthcare stakeholders. Employers, who provide coverage for more than 180 million Americans, play a major role in influencing patient-centered outcomes through the programs, levels of coverage, and access they provide, and they can have a direct influence on payers and providers. In addition, most adults in the US spend more than half of their lives working or providing care to elderly parents and children and are greatly affected by their work environment and culture. Employers are eager for research, and a research agenda, that takes into account the structures, processes and outcomes designed by and relevant to their organizations and workforces. We outline below approaches that could facilitate a more comprehensive, balanced, and high-impact patient-centered and stakeholder-aligned research agenda. Because employers provide a substantial part of Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) funding through the IRS health plan fees, it makes sense for them to assess and suggest additional areas of study for PCORI’s research agenda.