AcademyHealth Electronic Data Methods (EDM) Forum Second Phase

In 2010, AcademyHealth received a 3-year cooperative agreement from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to develop the Electronic Data Methods (EDM) Forum. The forum was charged with advancing the national dialogue and developing the infrastructure and methods for collecting and analyzing prospective electronic health data for comparative effectiveness research, patient-centered outcomes research, and quality improvement. In its second phase, the project focused on driving rapid collaboration among stakeholders who create data, methods, and evidence to shape the next generation of learning health systems.

The specific aims of this project were as follows:

• Engage and convene a broad and diverse group of experts and relevant stakeholders. 
• Conduct collaborative methods projects. 
• Create and disseminate timely, diverse, high-quality, and useful products. 

The project team leveraged an integrated model of convening, collaborating, and disseminating to produce high-quality analytic products that synthesize challenges and innovations, connect relevant research initiatives and stakeholder groups, and disseminate current research and news using diverse in-person and virtual channels. The team has engaged more than 4,000 stakeholders through participation in virtual and in-person meetings and as authors and reviewers of online resources. The EDM Forum has produced more than 400 high-quality deliverables over the course of the project. Notable products developed in the second phase included: eGEMS (Generating Evidence and Methods to improve patient outcomes), a peer-reviewed open access journal; Concordium, a 2-day meeting on the strategic development and use of evidence for health system transformation; support of 14 collaborative methods projects, including CIELO (Collaborative Informatics Environment for Learning on Health Outcomes), a platform for sharing health data analytics and code; and two Communities of Practice that focused on creating evidence, data, and methods for the next generation of health systems.