The Population Health and Outcomes Research Core uses population-based databases (e.g., Medicare and Medicaid administrative databases, Vital Records, the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data) which represent rich sources of data, from “real world” settings, and offer an unparalleled opportunity to examine patterns of health care use, morbidity, mortality, and other process and outcomes measures in various subgroups of the population. In particular, where multiple treatment alternatives are available for a specific medical condition, these databases offer a unique opportunity to conduct comparative effectiveness research (CER) to identify the most effective treatment modality.

The Population Health and Outcomes Research Core (PHORC) integrates and mobilizes a vast archive of population-based databases and provides expertise in working with them to conduct outcomes and disparities research. This includes a large computing capacity to create an infrastructure to respond to researchers’ needs in CER. This Laboratory collaborates with researchers at or outside of CWRU.