Center for Education & Research on Therapeutics
The Houston CERT is a Research Center with an overarching vision of supporting and empowering consumers of healthcare through informed decision-making. The overall mission of the Houston CERT is to develop a program of excellence to improve consumers’ awareness of the benefits and risks of therapeutics through research, education and dissemination, by targeting consumers and their providers.
We have developed a strategic plan for the next five years with the following specific operational aims:
Goals:
- To establish the infrastructure for an interdisciplinary research center of excellence to conduct and support research and educational initiatives related to health communication and decision-making for patients and consumers.
- To develop a comprehensive research program to evaluate methods, implementation and outcomes of health communication strategies.
This aim will be achieved by:- Developing the methodological infrastructure to support investigator-initiated efforts in these areas (e.g. assistance with grant proposals, collaborative efforts, contribution of resources)
- Conducting four demonstration projects
- To establish a Consumer Health Advisory Information Network (CHAIN) to deploy a system for rapid response to emerging therapeutic issues.
- To disseminate and implement the information developed by the research center.
Patient Education
Resources to information important to you, the consumer.
- Tone Your Bones - Helps to explain the process of preventing and treating osteoporosis.
- Chronic Disease and Condition Management-Coping with Chronic Illness - Helps patients with chronic illnesses improve their quality of life, stay informed and live with hope.
Related Links
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Home Page
- CERTS Home Page
- Arizona CERT
- Duke Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERTs)
For Health Professionals
- Clinical Research, Cancer Professionals and Clinical Trials - Clinical and scientific resources for physicians and other health care providers.
- Inventory-Patient Decision Aids-Ottawa Health Research Institute - Contains an inventory of patient decision aids for a variety of conditions.