The critical factor in outcomes research is to consider all perspectives since ‘value’ is defined differently by each customer. Outcomes research has been described as a way to determine what works in medicine, not only from the perspective of decision makers, but also from a perspective that reflects the needs and wants of healthcare consumers.1At an IIR conference entitled‘Collecting, analysing and optimising outcomes data’[London, UK; January 1997], a number of presenters elaborated on the different needs of customers in terms of outcomes data.