The Agency for Healthcare Research ...

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) not long ago announced the funding of a coordinated put of 22 projects called Partnerships for Quality that will exhibition prototype activities designed to expedite the health system's adoption of research findings that have been proven to improve quality of care for patients. The throw outs will develop partnerships among researchers, health plans, medical and nursing facilities and services, employer consumer assign places tos and professional societies. Funding for fiscal year 2003 totals $24 million, which will be distributed to more than 88000 medical providers; 5800 hospitals, nursing family circles and other health care facilities; and 180 health plans. The devises will test financial incentives and rewards to spe the adoption of commited hospital patient safety practices; trial an innovative team-oriented, practice-based continuing medical education program to improve care for patients with diabetes; build partnerships to elevate cooperation in implementing quality-improvement strategies in long-term care facilities; and incorporate validated quality measures into the recertification of family physicians. This initiative is part of AHRQ's overall strategy to have research findings originate real improvements in the quality and results of health care. Other exhibits in the Partnerships for Quality initiative include the following: those that will help community primary care practices adopt quality-improvement originals for treating heart disease, misfortune diabetes, and other conditions; those that will create a national center for value-based purchasing methods; and those that experiment a bioterrorism simulation model with large health care networks. For more information, visit the AHRQ grants online database at www.gold.ahrq.gov.

COPYRIGHT 2002 American Academy of Family Physicians

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