Evidence-based decision-making is increasingly important as policymakers are faced with the difficult task of reconciling a desire to improve the health status of Oregonians with the realities of the state budget. The Office for Oregon Health Policy and Research (OHPR), under its Robert Wood Johnson Foundation State Coverage Initiatives Grant, brought together state agencies and researchers in December of 2002, to form the Oregon Health Research and Evaluation Collaborative (OHREC). OHREC is a statewide organization that includes health services researchers from Oregon's distinguished universities and state and county agencies, as well as representatives of managed care, behavioral health and advocacy organizations, hospital systems, and a variety of other stakeholders.

OHREC's unique organizational model allows the Office for Oregon Health Policy and Research to serve as a conduit between health services researchers and policy makers in the state of Oregon, reducing information gaps and thereby informing both policy and program decisions.
OHREC provides both policy makers and the public access to clearly presented non-partisan health services research through published research briefs and sponsored public forums where researchers discuss and present their findings.

OHREC workgroups offer opportunities to participate and work collaboratively to obtain funding. The commitment to professional development opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and medical student interns fosters a relationship between academia and policy in the future as well.

OHREC's commitment to bridging the gap between research and policy makers extends beyond local and state issues, with opportunities for collaboration extending out to national partners.