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December 15, 2006
The Importance of Evaluation
Posted to Author: Pielke Jr., R. | Health | Science Policy: General
A story in the New York Times today on the effectiveness of colonoscopy highlights the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of action. One of the biggest areas of study in academic policy research is evaluation, and the federal government has an entire agency that focuses on evaluation in the Government Accountability Office.
But in policy as in medicine – as the colonoscopy case illustrates -- it is amazing how often evaluation of the effectiveness of action is overlooked or simply not done. Evaluation matters because it indicates what is working and what works. In the case of colonoscopy, improved health outcomes are apparently achieved with only a minor change in medical practice.
Comments
The figure suggests that they still haven't reached the length of time where all polyps are discovered- there should be a bend in that line where increasing time doesn't yield any more discoveries.
Posted by: Lab Lemming at December 16, 2006 03:12 PM