Synthesizing Evidence to Shape Practice, Inform Policy, and Drive Future Research
The Southern California Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC), located at RAND, was established in 1997. The EPC is designated by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) as one of 12 centers in North America to produce evidence reports.
The EPC reviews scientific literature on a wide spectrum of clinical and health services topics. We produce systematic reviews, evidence maps, scoping reviews, rapid reviews, and other literature synthesis products. Our reviews inform clinicians, patients, guideline groups, policy makers, purchases, payors, and research agendas. We synthesize literature on medical, psychological, behavioral, and organizational topics and conduct research to advance evidence synthesis methods.
Our EPC combines the talents of RAND and our core collaborators at the University of California, Los Angeles; University of California, San Francisco; Stanford University; and University of Southern California. In addition, through the VA HSR&D Center of Innovation and the VA Evidence-Synthesis Program (ESP), we collaborate with the Greater Los Angeles Veteran Affairs Healthcare System. The center is also affiliated with five health services research training programs, and the Guidelines International Network.
A substantial body of evidence exists to support clinical practice guidelines for quality palliative care but the quality of evidence is limited.
The purpose of this review is to characterize methods conducted or supported by research funding organizations to identify health research gaps, needs, or priorities.
The panel achieved consensus on definitions of optimal access and access management, on eight urgent and important priorities for guiding access management improvement, and on 1–3 recommendations per priority. Each recommendation is supported by referenced, panel-approved suggestions for implementation.
This is an evidence-map of ductal carcinoma in situ treatment options and impacts on patient-centered and clinical options.
Obesity is preventable and yet continues to be a major risk factor for chronic disease. This review searched the vast literature on obesity prevention interventions to assess their effects on daily energy consumed and energy expended.
