Agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) routinely collect, link, and analyze existing data that can be used to generate new scientific knowledge about health outcomes. In partnership with HHS agencies and offices, the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) coordinates a portfolio of intradepartmental projects that build data capacity for conducting patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR).
Patient-centered outcomes research is designed to produce new scientific evidence that informs and supports the health care decisions of patients, families, and their health care providers. PCOR studies focus on the effectiveness of prevention and treatment options with consideration of the preferences, values, and questions patients face when making healthcare choices. The validity of PCOR findings is strengthened by a robust data infrastructure within HHS agencies that supports rigorous analyses and generates relevant findings that help inform decisions.
This website describes the current portfolio of PCOR projects and their contributions to building data capacity that meets current HHS priorities.
https://aspe.hhs.gov/collaborations-committees-advisory-groups/os-pcortf
HHS’s Strategic Plan for the OS-PCORTF (2020–2029) charts a course to advance data capacity for patient-centered outcomes research over the next decade. To achieve the vision of better data to generate stronger evidence and foster informed decisions, HHS has prioritized four goals that reflect high-priority opportunities to address critical data challenges for patient-centered outcomes research. The four goals, along with their corresponding outcomes, set forth what HHS expects to accomplish over the next decade through the OS-PCORTF portfolio of data projects. The Strategic Plan provides both high-level vision and action-guiding directives for HHS’s efforts to ensure the availability and suitability of data and analytic resources for addressing important PCOR questions.
https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/os-pcortf-strategic-plan-2020-2029