How to set up a departmental comparative effectiveness research unit: one department's experience.

OBJECTIVE: Comparative effectiveness research (CER) is the comparison of clinical interventions in real-world settings. The purpose of this article is to discuss the experiences of a CER unit created within the radiology department of one medical institution to provide an example of how to pursue CER within the field of radiology. CONCLUSION: Medical institutions would benefit from investing in CER by creating research groups specifically devoted to this evolving field.