(p. 2) (p. 3) Epidemiology, outcomes, and quality of care 

The fields of both epidemiology and outcomes research have benefited enormously over the past few decades from improved computing power, better analytic methods, the availability of large datasets, and the study of clinical behaviour. In this chapter, we highlight a small, somewhat subjective, sample of the seminal articles that have laid the foundation for the current state of the art of these scientific disciplines. We sought to capture a broad spectrum of representative articles that reflect ‘growth areas’ of the field. Landmark articles are, generally, those that have spawned numerous investigators to further understand the determinants of patients’ outcomes and how care is currently delivered so that these outcomes can be improved. We not only relied upon the collective experience of the authors, but also surveyed a number of our colleagues in epidemiology and outcomes research to solicit their input. Paring down the numerous excellent suggestions was a challenge and the selected articles are intended to encourage the reader to further explore these disciplines, which will ultimately lead to improvements in the delivery of healthcare and patients’ outcomes.