Core Policy Terms Defined

Members of The International Working Group for Health Technology Assessment Advancement have published an article that clarifies the definitions for "evidence-based medicine," "health technology assessment" and "comparative effectiveness research."

The authors are experts who have come together to focus on issues related to evidence-based decision making in health care. They include Bryan R. Luce, United BioSource Corporation; Michael Drummond, University of York; Bengt Jönsson, Stockholm School of Economics; Peter J. Neumann, Tufts Medical Center; J. Sanford Schwartz, University of Pennsylvania; Uwe Siebert, University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology; and Sean D. Sullivan, University of Washington.

Reaching consensus on the definitions of these terms is important because of various provisions in the HITECH Act and Accountable Care Act (reform) that seek to expand use of these practices. Clear interpretations also could affect clinical guidelines, insurance coverage decisions, drug formulary placement and insurance reimbursement decisions, according to the authors.

The article is published in The Milbank Quarterly. To purchase a copy, click here.

--Joseph Goedert