The Southern California Evidence-Based Practice Center

The Southern California Evidence-Based Practice Center is part of the Evidence-Based Practice Program sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. One of 14 such Centers nationwide, the Center:

• conducts systematic reviews and technology assessments of all aspects of health care;
• performs research on improving the methods of synthesizing the scientific evidence and developing evidence reports and technology assessments; and
• provides technical assistance to other organizations in their efforts to translate evidence reports and technology assessments into guidelines, performance measures, and other quality-improvement tools.

The Center combines the talents of RAND and its four affiliated regional health care institutions:

• University of California, Los Angeles
• University of California, San Francisco/Stanford
• University of Southern California
• Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

In addition, through the VA/RAND/UC Field Program Center for the Study of Health Care Provider Behavior, we collaborate with the Greater Los Angeles and San Diego Veteran Affairs Healthcare System.

The Center is also affiliated with five health services research training programs, and the International Cochrane Collaboration.