AHRQ National Advisory Council
Discusses Upcoming Reports
November 14, 2003 - The National
Advisory Council for the Agency
for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) met Nov. 7
to review the agency's research agenda and future activities.
AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy, M.D., updated the Council on
the agency's redesigned organizational chart and refined mission
statement. She also discussed the agency's proposed plan to
absorb the costs of a proposed amendment to the House version
of the FY 2004 Labor-HHS appropriations bill that would require
AHRQ to direct $12 million of its budget to research on the
effectiveness of pharmaceuticals. AHRQ estimates that $6 million
is already allocated for this purpose through the Centers
for Education and Research on Therapeutics and is seeking
ways to increase this research if the amendment is approved.
Arthur Garson, M.D., M.P.H, dean of the University of Virginia
School of Medicine, chaired the meeting.
AHRQ staff presented ongoing research on the purchasing,
costs and effectiveness of medicines and on improving quality
and effectiveness through health systems redesign. They also
gave an overview of the National Healthcare Disparities Report
and the National Healthcare Quality Report. These reports,
mandated by Congress in the 1999 reauthorization of the agency,
will present a broad set of performance measures designed
to monitor the Nation's progress toward improved health care
quality and reduced health care disparities. The reports are
currently undergoing departmental view and are expected to
be released in the next couple months.
Information:
Erica Froyd, Director, Public Health and Research Legislative Affairs
AAMC Office of Governmental Relations
efroyd@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
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