Outcomes research--it's not just for academic medicine

Outcomes research has been viewed by many as appropriate primarily for academic research purposes. However, author Patrick S. Fahey, FACMPE, administrator of Sports Medicine Center, writes that due to health care reform, outcomes research will be important "because it addresses the issues of uncontrolled spending and inconsistent quality of care by redirecting incentives to control overuse, underuse and inappropriate use of medical services".