Grant: Evidence on Tap - Expedited Knowledge Synthesis (EIHR)

This proposal addresses the question: What are the most effective ways to measure the health outcome changes, as reported by patients themselves, resulting from primary health care reforms? Our emphasis on outcomes as reported by patients themselves is driven by a belief that individual patients are the best judges of their own welfare. Extensive work on the development of patient-reported outcome measures has been undertaken over recent years such that there now exist a large number of instruments, many of which have been well validated, including using Canadian populations. We envisage 4 stages to this project. (1) Formulation of the precise policy questions. A formal review protocol will be developed. (2) Process of review: In general terms the process will include: discussion with subject experts; decisions on what type of studies we are looking for; the search of literature databases; the review of selected studies and recording of information from each paper. (3) Synthesis of evidence: This refers to the process of making an overall judgement of the results from the literature review. (4) Knowledge translation: Our team is committed to evidence-informed policy and practice through effective transfer of information from research to those making decisions in health care. Our team is led by Stirling Bryan, who has recently led on two similar successful CIHR-funded review projects. He has a wealth of experience in reviews and evidence syntheses to inform policy questions from his work in the UK and more recently in Canada. The team also includes co-investigators and staff with expertise in: outcome measurement (Swatzsky, Bryan, McGrail, Davis), information science and reviews (Doyle-Waters, Bryan, Swatzky), health policy and reform (Lewis, McGrail, Bryan), and primary care and family practice (Dawes, McGregor, McGrail).