Consumers United for Evidence-based Healthcare (CUE) is a pioneering effort to improve consumers’ ability to engage in and demand high quality healthcare. CUE started in 2003 as a partnership between consumer health advocacy groups and scientists involved in evidence-based healthcare (EBHC). CUE is:

• A national coalition of health and consumer advocacy organizations.
  27 CUE member organizations list (PDF)
   
• A consumer advocate-scientist partnership.

Initial funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), has enabled the United States Cochrane Center (USCC) to nurture CUE’s development and to provide a secretariat and staff. CUE is guided by an elected Steering Committee providing overall direction and policy and program development.

The mission of CUE is to promote the health of populations and the quality of individual healthcare by:

• Empowering consumers, public health policy makers, and healthcare providers to make informed decisions based on the best current evidence through research, education, and advocacy.

CUE members:

• Obtain training about critical appraisal, EBHC, and the Cochrane Collaboration;
• Participate in CUE projects and initiatives;
• Attend annual CUE meetings;
• Educate their constituencies about critical appraisal and EBHC; and
• Provide consumer input into the Cochrane Collaboration’s systematic reviews of healthcare interventions.

Why is CUE important?
Consumers are key stakeholders in health and healthcare decision making
Consumers help to:

• Raise the funds for health research;
• Advocate for local and federal legislative changes

Consumers need access to high quality health information and critical appraisal tools

• Consumers are bombarded with healthcare information from the print media, TV, radio, Internet and their healthcare providers.
• Interpreting the accuracy and validity of information is often difficult, as reports can be conflicting and evidence may seem to change over time.
• Consumers and consumer advocates need the tools to interpret, analyze, and understand this influx of information.

United by a common interest in integrating understanding and interpretation of EBHC into their advocacy activities, the 27 CUE member-organizations work to strengthen the voice of consumers and provide leadership in healthcare research.

For information, or to submit suggestions or expressions of interest, please contact:

USCC Consumer Coordinator
Johns Hopkins University
615 North Wolfe Street, Box W5010
Baltimore, MD 21205
Telephone: 410-502-4640
Fax: 410-502-4621

We have compiled a list of valuable resources and recommended reading.