PIPC is comprised of a diverse variety of healthcare stakeholders who have come together to promote comparative effectiveness research for the purpose of fostering patient access to innovative products and improving healthcare quality. Comparative clinical effectiveness research can help us make good health care choices. But it is important to make sure this research isn't misused to make these decisions for us. The Partnership to Improve Patient Care exists to ensure that comparative clinical effectiveness research is focused on giving providers and patients the information they need, improving health care quality and supporting continued medical progress. Congress created the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to improve quality of health care by funding comparative clinical effectiveness research, comparing the patient health outcomes of different health care and treatment options. Comparative clinical effectiveness research can cover a wide range of health care interventions, from medical tests, treatments and procedures to care management programs, care processes, and benefit designs. Used appropriately, comparative clinical effectiveness research can play a valuable role in supporting good decision-making in health care. Moreover, improved quality is the best path to greater health care affordability. It is essential that comparative clinical effectiveness research be conducted in a way that promotes improved quality of care and medical progress, preserves patient choice and access to optimal care.
