Collaboration Between Researchers and State Policymakers: Models for Achieving EvidenceInformed Poli

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Collaboration Between Researchers and State
Policymakers Models for Achieving
Evidence-Informed Policy

• Andrew Coburn, Ph.D
• Muskie School of Public Service
• University of Southern Maine

AHRQ Annual MeetingBethesda, MDSeptember 16,
2009
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How Can We Expand The Use Of Health Services
Research In State Health Policy?
One perspective.
.Researchers Are From Mars Policy Makers Are
From Venus
P. Feldman et al. (2001) Gerontologist 41312-321
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Evidence-Informed Decision Making

• The systematic application of the best available
  evidence to the evaluation of options and to
  decision-making in clinical, management, and
  policy settings.
• Canadian Health Services Research Foundation.
  (2001) Health Services Research and
  Evidence-Based Decision-Making. Ottawa

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The Key Stages of EIDM
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Key Stages in the Research Process
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Models for Linking Research to Policy Decision
Making

• Researcher-Push Dissemination, translation,
  KT, research synthesis,
• User-Pull Commissioned research, rapid
  response units, data and trends analysis,
  research synthesis
• Researcher-User Exchange research-policy
  networks, informal policy-researcher exchange,
  embedded researcher
• Organizational Excellence organizational
  strategy using multiple, integrated approaches to
  linking and using evidence.

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Factors Influencing the Policy Process
Source J. Lomas Improving Research Dissemination
and Uptake in the Health Sector Beyond the Sound
of One Hand Clapping , 1997
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The Use of Evidence in Policy Decision Making

• Emphasis has been on promoting greater access to
  research through dissemination and knowledge
  transfer.
• Follows tendency to view research and policy as
  products versus processes.

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The Use of Evidence in Policy Decision Making

• Instrumental versus conceptual uses of evidence
  tendency is to focus on how evidence influences
  specific decisions, underplaying the role of
  evidence in influencing general knowledge,
  thinking, and culture.

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What Facilitates Research Use In Policy
Decision-making?

• Benefits of using evidence are understood
• Users are partners in generating evidence
• Evidence is relevant, timely, and
  methodologically uncontested
• Results support political ideologies, are
  convenient and uncontentious
• Results have high degree of certainty (error and
  risk), are robust in implementation, and involve
  low costs.
• Davies, Nutley, Smith, What Works? Evidence
  based policy and practice in public services
  (2000)

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Final Thoughts

• State capacity for EIDM is limited how can we
  accelerate move to rapid learning in Medicaid
  and other state health policy?
• Importance of using multiple strategies
• Can we demonstrate results?