AHRQ Releases National Health
Care Reports
January 9, 2004 - The Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality (AHRQ) announced Dec. 22 the release of two reports
that measure the quality of health care and health care disparities
in America. The reports, the National
Healthcare Quality Report, and the National
Healthcare Disparities Report, provide baseline measures
for health care quality and differences in use of services.
Future reports will track progress on these measures and update
them as new data becomes available.
Congress directed AHRQ to issue these reports on an annual
basis, beginning in FY 2003, in the agency's 1999 reauthorization
legislation (P.L.
106-129). They present data on the quality of, and differences
in the access to, services for seven clinical conditions:
cancer, diabetes, end-stage renal disease, heart disease,
HIV and AIDS, mental health, and respiratory disease. The
priority groups highlighted in the disparities report include
women, children, the elderly, racial and ethnic minority groups,
low-income groups, residents in rural areas, people with disabilities
and people in need of long-term or end-of-life care.
Information:
Erica Froyd, Director, Public Health and Research Legislative Affairs
AAMC Government Relations
efroyd@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
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