The AAMC Feb. 27 submitted comments to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) regarding its Request for Information concerning learning health care systems. AHRQ solicited information from healthcare delivery organizations about current challenges and solutions to improve patient care by expanding and building on the use of evidence or becoming learning health care systems.
The AAMC provided comments on four domains derived from the experiences of large teaching hospitals and health systems, including that learning health care systems:
- Utilize their own data;
- Ensure evidence is applied consistently throughout the organization;
- Utilize metrics; and
- Involve patients and families.
In its comment letter, the AAMC notes, “While exemplars exist, there is an ongoing need to support even more institutions in their efforts to keep pace with the rapid changes in health care research and care delivery.”
The AAMC also emphasizes that there is “currently variability among learning health care systems. There is much to learn about what enables that variability to persist; how local learning health care systems can be strengthened; what is generalizable and can be implemented beyond a single health care system; and understanding the ability to collaborate across institutions.” The AAMC notes that to “fully realize health care that is safer, of higher quality, more accessible, equitable, and affordable, there is a need to demonstrate the ability of organizations to easily pool and share data across institutions. Doing so will provide more robust opportunities to learn from the best evidence and apply that information in real-time to benefit patients, providers, and enhance the value of health care.”