Effective Health Care Program Stakeholder Group - A Perspective (Text Version)

Slide Presentation from the AHRQ 2008 Annual Conference

On September 10, 2008, Peter Juhn, M.D., M.P.H., made this presentation at the 2008 Annual Conference. Select to access the PowerPoint® presentation (136 KB).

Slide 1

Effective Health Care Program Stakeholder Group—A Perspective

• Peter Juhn, MD, MPH

Slide 2

Background

• Aim of the Effective Health Care Program:
  • Provide current unbiased comparative evidence on health care interventions:
    • Synthesize scientific evidence
    • Generate new evidence and analytic methods
    • Translate evidence findings for practical use
• History:
  • Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) Section 1013 legislation of 2003:
    • Focus on outcomes, comparative effectiveness and appropriateness of medical interventions for patients in Medicare, Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
    • "shall ensure that there is broad and ongoing consultation with relevant stakeholders in identifying the highest priorities for research."

Slide 3

Stakeholder Group

• Provide input on:
  • Critical evidence gaps
  • Dissemination of research reports
  • Information needs
  • Feedback from report users
  • Process quality improvement
  • Enhancing impact of the Effective Health Care (EHC) Program
• History:
  • First Stakeholder Meeting, Oct. 2005
  • 2nd two-year cycle:
    • 10 members in the first group

Slide 4

Stakeholder Group

• 18 current members:
  • Medical providers
  • Patient advocates
  • Health plans
  • Manufacturers
  • Employers
  • Journal editors
• Three workgroups:
  • Program priorities
  • Product development
  • Product dissemination

Slide 5

Some Observations

• First cycle different than second one:
  • First cycle—start-up
  • Second cycle—increase momentum
• Different perspectives, same objectives:
  • Common purpose
  • Collegial and constructive
• Strong program leadership and enthusiastic staff:
  • Jean Slutsky and Mark Helfand
  • Accessible, responsive and receptive
• Excellent products:
  • Highest scientific standards
  • Comprehensive and transparent review process

Slide 6

Some Challenges

• Dissemination:
  • Going beyond the publication or the Web site link
  • Active incorporation into clinical programs
• Practical relevance:
  • Impact on actual practice and not just coverage policy
  • Alignment of practitioner evidence needs with program products
• Timing:
  • Inherently long cycle times of scientifically rigorous processes
  • Shelf-life of evidence
• Scale and scope:
  • So much more to do
  • So little comparative budget

Slide 7

Some Takeaways

• Clear purpose:
  • Different for first and second cycles
• Diverse viewpoints:
  • Active recruitment of broadly representative members
• Enlightened leadership:
  • Open to feedback
  • Continuous quality improvement
• Smaller workgroups:
  • Specific deliverables
• Defining success:
  • Go beyond products, get to impact
  • How to rate Stakeholder's performance