Comparative Effectiveness Research

Comparative effectiveness research is research aimed evaluating and comparing the implications and outcomes of two or more health care strategies to address a particular medical condition. The goal of comparative effectiveness research is to generate better information about the risks and benefits and costs of different treatment options in order to provide health-care decision makers—including patients, clinicians, purchasers, and policymakers—with up-to-date, evidence-based information about their treatment options to make informed health care decisions. 

In the Division of General Internal Medicine, investigators design and conduct comparative effectiveness studies in diverse fields including in diabetes, obesity, and depression management. Several of the active projects are funded by the DEcIDE Network of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Since 2005, this Network has funded practical studies about the outcomes, comparative clinical effectiveness, safety, and appropriateness of health care items and services.

Information about the faculty conducting comparative effectiveness research and their projects is provided below.

Eric Bass, MD, MPH
Professor of Medicine and Health Policy & Management
Director, Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Center
Co-Director, Johns Hopkins DeCIDE Center 
Research Interests: Evidence-based medicine methods
To see publication abstracts: PubMed

Wendy Bennett, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Medicine and Population, Family and Reproductive Health
Research Interests: Women's health, diabetes and obesity
To see publication abstracts: PubMed

Jeanne M. Clark, MD, MPH, FACP
Associate Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology
Director, GIM Fellowship Program
Core Faculty, Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research
Research Interests: Epidemiology of obesity, fatty liver disease, and related conditions, epidemiology and effectiveness of bariatric surgery
To see publication abstracts: PubMed 

Lisa Cooper, MD, MPH, FACP
Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health, Behavior and Society;
Core Faculty, Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research
Director, Center to Eliminate Cardiovascular Health Disparities
Research Interests: Health disparities in depression care; spirituality; physician-patient relationship and communication
To see publication abstracts: PubMed

Gail Daumit, MD, MHS
Associate Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Policy and Management
Core Faculty,Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research
Research Interests: Epidemiology and prevention of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in adults with severe mental illness
To see publication abstracts: PubMed

Nisa Maruthur, MD, MHS
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Research interests: Individualized medicine for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, pharmacogenomics of type 2 diabetes, comparative effectiveness
To see publication abstracts: PubMed

Karen A. Robinson, MSc, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Co-Director, Evidence-Based Practice Center, JHSPH
Research and professional interests: Evidence-based health care, health informatics
To see publication abstracts: PubMed

Jodi Segal, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Medicine
Research Interests: Evidence-based medicine methods
To see publication abstracts: PubMed

Albert Wu, MD, MPH
Professor of Medicine, Surgery, Health Policy and Management,  Epidemiology, and  International Health  
Director, Johns Hopkins DEcIDE Center for comparative effectiveness research
Research Interests: Patient safety, comparative effectiveness research, patient-reported outcomes, quality of care, HIV       
To see publication abstracts: PubMed