Section 6301 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act established the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), an independent nonprofit organization charged with conducting and disseminating comparative clinical-effectiveness research to help patients, providers, purchasers, and policy-makers reach more informed decisions. On March 5, 2012, the PCORI board of governors voted to finalize a revised definition of “patient-centered outcomes research.” This was an important step for PCORI, as potential grantees will have to ensure that their work falls within this definition. The board had released a draft definition for public comment in July 2011, and had solicited feedback directly from stakeholders.
