Not only do these numerous and complex choices come with increasingly high costs, but the potential benefits and harms of screening and treatment options are not always well understood. Through our program of comparative effectiveness research, we’re producing the evidence that patients, providers, and health systems need to make informed medical and policy decisions. Our pursuit of this evidence includes systematic reviews of previous trials as well as innovative new studies in a wide range of research areas, including:
- Alcohol Use and Abuse
- Asthma Epidemiology
- Breast Cancer Treatment and Prevention
- Cardiovascular Risk Factors
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Complementary and Alternative Treatments
- Dental Care Delivery
- Diabetes
- Drug Safety and Effectiveness
- Health Disparities
- Hypertension
- Kidney Disease
- Obesity-related Diseases
- Tobacco Control
- Weight Loss
- Youth Depression
Much of our comparative effectiveness research takes place under the umbrella of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Effectiveness and Safety Research (CESR). Launched in 2009, CESR consists of researchers, health-care providers, data managers, and analysts in all seven of Kaiser Permanente’s regional research centers. This large-scale network, made possible by our Virtual Data Warehouse, gives CHR investigators a platform for investigating both rare events and population-level health issues.