The art and science of using best-worst scaling in health economics and beyond

Abstract
Scientists and Clinicians are increasingly asked to involve patients and other stakeholders in medical decision making. While efforts have been made to incorporate patient preferences in shared decision making, and throughout the implementation and evaluation of technologies in our health system, we often lack the tools to understand what really matters most to people. This seminar will provide an exploration of the art and science of best-worst scaling, a relatively novel type of choice experiment that can inform decision making in health. The seminar consists of three parts. First, we will explore the theoretical foundations of best-worst scaling and explain how it is both similar and distinct from other methods. Second, several case studies applying best-worst scaling will be presented to illustrate some of the potential applications in health care. Finally, results of a recent systematic review of all best-worst scaling studies will be presented to demonstrate current norms and to explore the potential factors that impact the quality and policy impact of published studies. At the completion of the seminar, participants will have a working knowledge of this innovative and flexible method and have an appreciation for both the art and science of its application in health. The seminar will also address the potential drivers of quality and policy relevance that may be relevant to participants who want to increase the impact of their research in health economics and beyond.

John F P Bridges PhD is a Professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics (BMI) at The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Medicine. An economist by training, he has devoted his career to advancing and applying theory-driven methods to understand the preferences and priorities of patients and other stakeholders in medicine. John was the founding editor of The Patient – Patient-centered Outcomes Research and founding chair of numerous patient-centered working groups, special interest groups, and task forces within the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), the last of which published a new roadmap for increasing the usefulness and impact of studies of patient preferences in 2023. He has received the ISPOR Bernie O’Brien New Investigator Award (2006) and the ISPOR Distinguished Service Award (2011). The author of over 250 peer-reviewed publications,
he is frequently engaged as an expert on methods for measuring patient preferences and their application in a wide variety of fields, including regulatory science, cancer control, public health, and genetics. His current research on the clinical application of best-worst scaling is supported, in part, by an Innovation in Regulatory Science Award from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.