390.675.01 OUTCOMES AND EFFECTIVENESS RESEARCH

Provides an overview of outcomes and effectiveness research. Emphasizes conceptual, design, and analytical aspects of research, rather than particular findings or policy implications. Covers both experimental (randomized) and observational designs, with greater emphasis on the latter. Examines alternative approaches to addressing confounding in controlled observational studies. Explores methods for evaluating the effectiveness of patient-level interventions (e.g., treatments and procedures), as well as methods for evaluating the effectiveness of providers and provider-level interventions (including by application of multilevel models). Considers a wide range of outcomes, including time to event outcomes (survival analysis), cost of care (cost-effectiveness analysis), and patient-reported outcomes.

Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to: • Develop skills needed to critically evaluate outcomes and effectiveness research • Craft a preliminary design for an outcomes or effectiveness study • Describe the strengths and weaknesses of various experimental and observational study designs • Recognize how various statistical approaches reflect and illuminate study aims • Become familiar with a wide variety of approaches to outcomes and effectiveness investigation