Comparative Effectiveness
Columbia University is a national leader in cancer medicine and well poised to develop the premier center in outcomes research in women’s cancer. Outcomes research at Columbia benefits from the resources of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC), and the Mailman School of Public Health. The HICCC is an NCI designated comprehensive cancer center, one of only 3 in the state of New York, and provides clinical cancer care in addition to conducting basic, clinical, and population-based cancer research. The Mailman School of Public Health is one of the oldest and most respected schools of public health in the world. It is at the forefront of public health research and education, and facilitating the translation of public health research into action.
The overall goal of comparative effectiveness outcomes research is to provide evidence on the effectiveness, benefits and harms of treatments in different populations and to develop strategies to optimize care for individual patients. Specifically, this research seeks to make sure the every patient receives the right treatment, by the right physician, at the right place.
Outcomes research in women’s cancers has a strong presence at Columbia University. A core group of investigators from the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medicine, Urology, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Health Policy and Management have formed a collaboration to promote outcomes research and advance the health practice of cancer medicine. The group meets regularly to coordinate research efforts, collaborate on grants, and discuss new study designs and methodology. Our research group has focused on research related to uptake, cost and outcomes associated with new technologies and surgeries; adherence to guidelines and modifiable factors that can improve quality; overuse of therapies, imaging and other testing modalities; value and cost of cancer therapies; and disparities in treatment quality and access. The group’s success has been demonstrated through the publication of numerous manuscripts in high-quality journals, national leadership positions, collaborations with the healthcare delivery branch of the National Cancer Institute, presentations at high profile scientific meetings, and through success in obtaining external funding.