How Topics for Evidence-Based Practice Research are Selected

Topics for evidence reports and technology assessments focus on specific aspects of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and/or management of a particular condition, or on an individual procedure, treatment, or technology.

Topics relevant to clinical, social science/behavioral, economic, and other health care organization and delivery issues—specifically those that are common, expensive, and/or significant for the Medicare and Medicaid populations.

Selection criteria for topics include the following :

• High incidence or prevalence in the general population and in special populations, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, pediatric and elderly populations, and those of low socioeconomic status.
• Significance for the needs of Medicare, Medicaid, and other Federal health programs.
• High costs associated with a condition, procedure, treatment, or technology, whether due to the number of people needing care, high unit cost of care, or high indirect costs.
• Controversy or uncertainty about the effectiveness or relative effectiveness of available clinical strategies or technologies.
• Impact potential for informing and improving patient or provider decisionmaking.
• Impact potential for reducing clinically significant variations in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or management of a disease or condition; in the use of a procedure or technology; or in the health outcomes achieved.
• Availability of scientific data to support the systematic review and analysis of the topic.
• Submission of the nominating organization's plan to incorporate the report into its managerial or policy decisionmaking, as defined above.
• Submission of the nominating organization's plan to disseminate derivative products to its members and plan to measure members' use of these products, and the resultant impact of such use on clinical practice.

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