What Do Statisticians Have to Do with Patients?

• Activity Number: 200
• Type: Roundtables
• Date/Time: Monday, July 30, 2012 : 12:30 PM to 1:50 PM
• Sponsor: Health Policy Statistics Section
• Author(s): Laura A. Hatfield*+
• Companies: Harvard Medical School
• Keywords: patient centered outcomes research ; statistical communication

Abstract

Following the first pilot projects funding announcement of the new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, many statisticians had to learn quickly what constitutes "patient-centered outcomes research" (PCOR) and decide whether our work falls under this umbrella. Developing methods for comparative effectiveness research is one clear statistical contribution to PCOR, but statisticians should consider other aspects of this new concept of health research. For example, there are statistical consequences of designing patient-reported outcome measures; the outcomes may be difficult to measure and use scales that vary by patient. Another example is development of statistical communication and statistical graphics. If patients are involved in setting national research priorities, collaborating in the conduct of studies, and interpreting research results, statisticians must develop methods of effectively communicating research techniques and results to lay people. While it may be easier to "leave patient-centeredness to the clinicians", we will consider ways that statisticians can contribute creatively and productively to this new perspective on health research.