Two HHS agencies announced they are partnering with one another to develop an interoperable data infrastructure to support patient-centered outcomes research. Such research compares the effectiveness of various treatments and procedures, within the framework of what works best for patients.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation will lead the initiative, aided by the National Opinion Research Center, a not-for-profit, academic research organization at the University of Chicago, HHS said Wednesday. HHS cited a total of nearly $200 million made available through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for building such an infrastructure.