Our proprietary Hayes Rating has become the industry’s benchmark and is aligned with the international GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation)-based evidence evaluation system. Over the years, it has been proven that evidence-based, clinically sound processes improve both the quality and cost-effectiveness of healthcare delivery.
The Hayes Rating is used in evaluating medical technologies. In addition to other forms of available information, clients consider the Hayes Rating, and the contextual information contained in our reports, to expand their level of knowledge as they work to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of healthcare delivery.
The proprietary Hayes Rating system was developed to reflect the strength and direction of the evidence regarding medical technologies (procedure, test, device, biologic, drug, intervention, process, or program) as they apply to specific clinical applications. This includes safety and efficacy, impact on health outcomes and patient management, indications for use, and patient selection criteria compared with the standard treatment/testing or other competing health technologies.
Established benefit. Published evidence shows conclusively that safety and impact on health outcomes are comparable to or better than standard treatment/testing. Long-term safety and impact on health outcomes have been established, and other important questions concerning the application of the technology have been answered. Drugs, biologics, and devices with an A rating have FDA approval, but not necessarily for the specific clinical application(s) under consideration.
Some proven benefit. The published evidence indicates that safety and impact on health outcomes are at least comparable to standard treatment/testing. However, there are outstanding questions regarding long-term safety and impact on health outcomes, clinical indications, contraindications, optimal treatment/testing parameters, and/or effects in different patient subpopulations. Drugs, biologics, and devices with a B rating have FDA approval, but not necessarily for the specific clinical application(s) under consideration.
Potential but unproven benefit. Some published evidence suggests that safety and impact on health outcomes are at least comparable to standard treatment/testing. However, substantial uncertainty remains about safety and/or impact on health outcomes because of poor-quality studies, sparse data, conflicting study results, and/or other concerns.
No proven benefit. Published evidence shows that the technology does not improve health outcomes or patient management for the reviewed application(s) or is unsafe.
Insufficient evidence. There is insufficient published evidence to assess the safety and/or impact on health outcomes or patient management.
