Health care research and policy studies.

Health care research in rheumatology has traditionally underemphasized economic studies, but the advent of health care reform makes this type of research more important than ever. This paper reviews studies relating to economics and rheumatology as well as methodologic issues relating to the conduct of such studies. The topics covered include data collection in health services research, problems in the use of traditional measures of health-related quality of life and rheumatology, cost-effectiveness analyses, cost studies, studies documenting changes in utilization, and the merits of using contingent valuation methods as the outcome variable in rheumatologic cost-effectiveness studies. It is important for researchers in rheumatology to continue investigation into the most efficient means of providing care to our patients.