PCORI considers it essential to accelerate the infrastructure needed to advance patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) and takes a broad view of the work necessary to achieve progress toward this goal.

Research infrastructure includes multiple elements:

• Science and methods of CER
• Technical tools that can make research more efficient
• Workforce and delivery systems that are at the heart of patient care

Our methods work has two components. The first is our ongoing program that funds research to improve how patient-centered CER is done. The second comprises the ongoing activities of PCORI’s Methodology Committee, which is charged with developing and improving patient-centered CER methodology standards.

The Committee will update and refine the methodology standards it has already developed to guide research practice across 16 areas and identify methods most relevant to patient-centered CER in considering the burdens and economic impacts of treatments and healthcare services in the studies we fund.

In doing this work, the Committee will provide guidance to the research community on utilization of standards, contribute to our understanding of cutting-edge methods for CER, advance methods for the use of real-world evidence in new areas of PCORI focus (e.g., science of engagement in CER), and provide diverse perspectives and expertise that can support PCORI in achieving its goals.

We also intend to support development of the health research workforce—those who conduct and support the studies that generate needed clinical evidence as well as disseminate research outcomes and promote their use in practice.

In the years ahead, PCORI will work to maximize opportunities for PCORnet^®, the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network , to serve as a resource for pursuing emerging and priority research needs, applying a set of prioritizing principles for PCORI’s infrastructure funding relating to PCORnet’s future development.