Summary of AHRQ Performance Objectives
Contents
Budget Line 1: Research on Health Costs, Quality, and Outcomes
Goal 1: Establish Future Research Agenda Based on Users' Needs
Goal 2: Make Significant Contributions to Effective Functioning of U.S. Health Care
System Through Creation of New Knowledge
Goal 3: Foster Translation of New Knowledge into Practice by Developing and Providing Information,
Products, and Tools on Outcomes, Quality, and Access, Cost, and Use of Care
Goal 4: Evaluate the Effectiveness and Impact of AHRQ Research and Associated Activities
Goal 5: Support Department-wide Initiative to Improve Health Care Quality Through Leadership and
Research
Budget Line 2: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
Goal 6: Collect Current Data and Create Products on Health
Care Use and Expenditures for Use by Public and Private-sector Decisionmakers and
Researchers (MEPS)
Budget Line 3: Program Support
Goal 7: Support Overall Direction and Management of AHRQ
Budget Line 1: Research on Health Costs, Quality, and Outcomes
Funding Levels:
Fiscal Year 1999: $139,314,000 (Enacted).
Fiscal Year 2000: $165,315,000 (Enacted).
Fiscal Year 2001: $206,593,000 (Fiscal Year 2001 Request).
Goal 1: Establish Future Research Agenda Based on Users' Needs
Objective 1.1: Define direction of Fiscal Year project funding priorities, in large part, by needs assessment activities.
Target, Fiscal Year 2001: Agency research agenda covering strategic goal areas for Fiscal Year 2001 priorities (errors, informatics, and worker safety) is
documented based on consultations with various groups.
Reference:
Commitment Base.
Target, Fiscal Year 2000: Agency research agenda covering the three strategic research goals and the new Fiscal Year 2000 closing the gap initiatives are
documented based on consultations with various groups.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Agency research agenda covering the three strategic research goals is developed in Fiscal Year 1999 and documented based on
consultations with various groups.
Actual Performance: Completed. For details, select GPRA: Objective 1.1 and Appendix 5.
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Goal 2: Make Significant Contributions to the Effective Functioning of the U.S. Health Care
System Through the Creation of New Knowledge
Fiscal Year 2001 Objective 2.1: Determine annually the salient findings from research in each of the three areas (outcomes;
quality; and cost, access, and use) and develop plan for next steps translation and dissemination.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2001: Same as 2000, plus (to reflect consolidation of 1999 and 2000): Generate two-three synthesis reports on research findings and practical applications on Agency priority topics, such as priority populations and other topic thems such as Q-Span.
Reference: Commitment Base.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2000:
- Annual report on science advances in three research goal areas.
- At least four major findings in each area that have potential to save significant amounts of money, improve quality, save lives or
prevent physical suffering, or change the organization and delivery of health care.
- For each finding, specific steps in translation and dissemination are identified and initiated.
Fiscal Year 1999 Objective 2.1: Determine the salient findings from research for three priority populations and develop plan
for next steps in translation and dissemination.
Target Fiscal Year 1999: A report that synthesizes research on the major health concerns of at least three priority populations produced.
Actual Performance: Completed. For details, select GPRA: Objective 2.1 and Appendix 6.
Fiscal Years 1999-2001 Objective 2.2: Achieve significant findings from AHRQ sponsored and conducted research.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2001: Same, except changed to 40 findings.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2000: Same, except changed to 25 findings.
Targets, Fiscal Year 1999: Findings from at least 10 AHRQ sponsored or funded research are published in major peer reviewed
professional publications (New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of American Medical Association, etc.); receive national press
coverage; are used in Federal or State policymaking; are used by professional associations or health plans as the basis of strategies
to achieve quality; or are used to establish coverage decisions by health care purchasers, managed care organizations, or insurers,
including Medicare or Medicaid.
Actual Performance: 50 citations for AHRQ findings; 7 examples of major media coverage; 7 examples of
usage. For details, select GPRA: Objective 2.2.
Reference: Commitment Base.
Fiscal Year 2001 Objective 2.3: Initiate Fiscal Year 2001 Research Initiatives.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2001: Funding of a minimum of 20 projects in:
Fiscal Year 2000 Objective 2.3: Implement Fiscal Year 2000 priority (1) "New Research on Priority Health Issues."
Targets, Fiscal Year 2000:
- Funding of a minimum of 10 projects that address gaps in knowledge about the priority problems faced by Medicare and
Medicaid.
- Funding of a minimum of 10 projects to address eliminating disparities in health care with particular emphasis on disparities that
exist for racial and ethnic minorities.
Fiscal Year 1999 Objective 2.3: Initiate Fiscal Year 1999 Research Initiatives.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Funding of a minimum of 21 projects in:
- Consumers use of information on quality.
- Strengthen value-based purchasing.
- Measure national health care quality.
- Vulnerable populations.
- Translating research into practice.
Actual Performance: 56 projects funded.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Funding of a minimum of 17 projects in:
- Outcomes for the elderly and chronically ill.
- Clinical preventive services.
- CERTs.
- Improving the quality of children's health.
Actual Performance: 51 projects funded. For details, select GPRA: Objective 2.3.
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Goal 3: Foster Translation of New Knowledge into Practice by Developing and Providing Information,
Products, and Tools on Outcomes, Quality, and Access, Cost, and Use of Care
Fiscal Year 2001 Objective 3.1: Maximize dissemination of information, tools, and products developed from research
results for use in practice settings. Note: In the Fiscal Year 2001 plan, Objectives 3.1 and 3.2 have been consolidated.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2001:
- Formation of a minimum of 10 partnerships to support dissemination of AHRQ products through intermediary organizations, such as health plans and professional organizations.
Reference: Commitment Base.
- At least 5 public-private partnerships are formed to implement evidence assessments for decisionmakers.
Reference: Commitment Base.
- Number of hits on the Web site.
- Number of inquiries handled on Web site.
- Number of uploaded documents.
- Number of State and local governments trained in the understanding and use of health services research findings through User
Liaison Program (ULP) Workshops.
Reference: Commitment Base for all Web site measures and User Liaison Program.
Fiscal Years 2000 and 1999 Objective 3.1: Promote distribution of AHRQ publications, products, and tools through
intermediary organizations.
Target, Fiscal Year 2000: Same.
Actual Performance: 30.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Formation of a minimum of five partnerships to support dissemination of AHRQ products through intermediary
organizations, such as health plans and professional organizations.
Actual Performance: Public/private and public/public partnerships formed. For details, select GPRA: Objective 3.1.
Fiscal Year 2001 Objective 3.2: Develop and facilitate the use of new tools, talent, products, and implementation
methodologies stemming from research portfolio. Note: This is Objective 3.3 in Fiscal Year 1999-2000.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2001:
Fiscal Years 1999-2000 Objective 3.2: Maximize dissemination of information, tools, and products developed from research
results for use in practice settings. Note: Becomes Objective 3.1 in Fiscal Year 2001.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2000:
- Number of hits on the Web site.
- Number of inquiries handled on Web site.
- Number of uploaded documents.
- Reports from user surveys on how the information requested was used.
- Number of State and local governments trained in the understanding and use of health services research findings through User Liaison Program (ULP) Workshops:
- Meetings held.
- Number of attendees
- States represented.
- Reports from annual participants on how the information was used in decisionmaking.
- Statistics on usage of National Guideline Clearinghouse™ (NGC) including number of hits, requests, organizations, and total users.
- Survey of a sample of NGC users to understand the impact of use on decisions and patient care.
- At least 10 purchasers/businesses use AHRQ findings to make decisions.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Number of hits on the Web site.
Actual Performance: 15.5 million.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Number of inquiries handled on Web site.
Actual Performance: 2,950.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999:
Number of Uploaded documents.
Actual Performance: 4,000.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999:
Number of State and local governments trained in the understanding and use of health services research findings through User
Liaison Program (ULP) Workshops.
Actual Performance: 48 States, 4 territories, 30 county governments, 9 city governments.
- Meetings held: 18.
- Number of attendees: 834.
- States represented: 48.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Statistics on usage of National Guideline Clearinghouse™ including number of hits, requests, organizations, and total users.
Actual Performance: 13,590,013.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: At least five purchasers/businesses use AHRQ findings to make decisions.
Actual Performance: 21 examples listed. For details, select GPRA: User
Liaison Program.
Fiscal Years 1999-2000 Objective 3.3: Develop and facilitate the use of new tools, talent, products, and implementation
methodologies stemming from research portfolio. Note: This becomes Objective 3.2 in Fiscal Year 2001. Objective 3.3 is discontinued in Fiscal Year
2001.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2000:
- Use of at least three AHRQ research findings in systematic efforts to Translate Research Into Practice.
- Funding of a minimum of five major projects that will develop products, tools, or methodologies for implementing research findings
into practice in significant segments of the health care system (i.e., potential to be generalizable across health care systems,
provider-types, or clinical areas).
- At least two new tools, products, or methodologies become available from projects funded between Fiscal Year 1993 and Fiscal Year 1996.
- Support a 5-percent increase, at a minimum, in number of pre- and post-doctoral trainees.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPCs) produce a minimum of 12 evidence reports and technology assessments that can serve
as the basis for interventions to enhance health outcomes and quality by improving practice (i.e., practice guidelines, quality
measures, and other quality improvement tools). At least four reports are being used by customers to develop practice guidelines
or other interventions.
Actual Performance: 10 produced; 3 "in press"; 30 under development.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Release of the AHRQ software product, CONQUEST 2.0, in Fiscal Year 1999. New measures will include new
conditions and updated measures. Contract awarded to create Web-based product for more timely updating of information
contained within product.
Actual Performance: Released March 1999; contract to be awarded September 2000.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Funding of a minimum of five major projects that will develop products, tools, or methodologies for implementing research findings
into practice in significant segments of the health care system (i.e., potential to be generalizable across health care systems,
provider-types, or clinical areas.)
Actual Performance: 13 examples provided.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: At least two new tools, products, or methodologies become available from projects funded between Fiscal Year 1993 and Fiscal Year 1996.
Actual Performance: 15 examples provided.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Support a minimum of 150 pre- and post-doctoral trainees.
Actual Performance: 167 trainees.
More detail on changes made in Goal 3 is in Appendix 2.
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Goal 4: Evaluate the Effectiveness and Impact of AHRQ Research and Associated Activities
Fiscal Year 2001 Objective 4.1: Evaluate the impact of AHRQ-sponsored products in advancing methods to measure and
improve health care. Note: 1999-2000 Objectives 4.1 and 4.2 have been consolidated in the Fiscal Year 2001 plan.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2001:
- Evidence-based Practice Centers.
- Use of evidence reports and technology assessments to create quality improvement tools in at least 15 organizations.
- For at least four evidence reports or technology assessments per year, work with partners to measure how the reports or assessments were used and what impact they had on clinical decision making and patient care.
- Findings from at least three evidence reports or technology assessments will effect State or Federal health policy decisions.
- Use of evidence reports or technology assessments and access to NGC site informed organizational decision making in at least four cases and resulted in changes in health care procedures or health outcomes.
Reference: Commitment Base.
- Research.
- At least three examples of how research informed changes in policies or practices in other Federal agencies.
Reference: Commitment Base.
- Quality Measures.
- Achievable benchmarks of care are used for quality improvement activities by Peer Review Organizations.
- Use of dental performance measures by dental service and insurance organizations.
- HCUP quality indicators incorporated into government, quasi-government (JCAHO), and hospital efforts to improve the quality of
care.
Reference: Commitment Base.
- National Guideline Clearinghouse™.
- At least 10 users of the National Guideline Clearinghouse™ will use site to inform clinical care decisions.
- Guideline development or quality improvement efforts by users will be facilitated through use of NGC in at least five cases.
- NGC information will be used to inform health policy decisions in at least two cases.
- Improvements in clinical care will result from utilization of NGC information in at least three cases.
Reference: Commitment Base.
- Training Programs:
Two-thirds of former pre- and postdoctoral institutional award trainees are active in conduct or administration of health services research.
Evaluation results to date show:
- 76 percent (of respondents) embark on a research or research administration career upon completion of training.
- 57 percent are actively involved in a research grant or contract.
- 75 percent have had at least one publication.
Reference: Commitment Base.
Fiscal Year 2000 Objective 4.1: Evaluate the impact of AHRQ-sponsored products in advancing methods to measure and
improve health care.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2000:
- AHRQ's HCUP Quality Indicators (QIs) will be redesigned based on consultations with State policymakers, researchers, hospital
associations, and others about their past use of the QIs. By the end of Fiscal Year 2000, a new set of quality indicators will be defined
and feedback obtained from a new set of HCUP QI users. In addition, AHRQ will provide access to recent national-level QI
information via both the Internet and through published reports, with special focus on disseminating information to hospital users
and organizations with responsibility for hospital quality reporting.
- Use of evidence reports and technology assessments to create quality improvement tools in at least 10 organizations.
- For at least four evidence reports or technology assessments per year, work with partners to measure how the reports or
assessments were used and what impact they had on clinical decisionmaking and patient care.
- At least three examples of how research informed changes in policies or practices in other Federal agencies.
Fiscal Year 1999 Objective 4.1: Evaluate the impact of AHRQ-sponsored products in advancing methods to measure and
improve health care.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: An evaluation of the outcomes of outcomes research and the impact of AHRQ-supported outcomes and effectiveness research
on clinical practice.
Actual Performance: Completed. For details, select GPRA: Objective 4.1.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: An evaluation and synthesis of:
- Primary care research supported by AHRQ.
- An assessment of the current state of the science and future directions for primary care research.
Actual Performance: For details, select GPRA:
Progress Report.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: AHRQ's State data strategy will be redesigned based on consultations with State policymakers, researchers, hospital
associations, and others about their past use of data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) as well as
additional data needs.
Actual Performance: Completed. For details, select GPRA: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP).
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Results of the evaluation of the Consumer Assessment of Health Plans (CAHPS®) study will be used to improve the usability and
usefulness of the tool. Findings are expected to show whether:
- The survey-based information from CAHPS® helps consumers make better health care decisions.
- The information increases consumer confidence when choosing health care plan.
- CAHPS® is used by public and private organizations.
Actual Performance: For details, select GPRA:
CAHPS® preliminary results.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Evaluation studies on:
- The quality and usefulness of the evidence reports and technology assessments produced by the
Evidence-based Practice Centers.
- The impact of the use of these products on the health care system will be developed
and initiated in Fiscal Year 1999.
Actual Performance: Final report will be received in February 2000. For details, select GPRA:
Evidence-based Practice Centers evaluation report.
Fiscal Year 2001 Objective 4.2: Evaluate the impact of MEPS data and associated products on policymaking and research
products.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2001:
- Use of MEPS data in AHRQ research applications will increase by 10 percent over number received in baseline period of 1999.
Reference: Commitment Base.
- Feedback from recipients of MEPS workshop participants indicating that they were useful and timely.
Reference: Commitment Base.
- At least five examples of how research using MEPS has been used to inform decisions by Federal, State and private sector
policymakers.
Reference: Commitment Base.
Fiscal Year 2000 Objective 4.2: Evaluate the impact of AHRQ-sponsored products in advancing methods to measure and
improve health care.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2000:
- AHRQ will report on the extent to which CONQUEST assists those who are charged with carrying out quality measurement and
improvement activities and the extent to which it helps further state-of-the-art in clinical performance measurement.
- CAHPS® has assisted the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) in informing Medicare beneficiaries about their health
care choices. The use and impact of this information is determined by surveying a sample of these beneficiaries.
- At least one quality measure from Q-Span (or instances where AHRQ research contributes to the development of measures) are
used in the Health Plan Employer Data Information Set (HEDIS) by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA),
measurement activities of the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) or others who
monitor health care quality in organizations.
Fiscal Year 1999 Objective 4.2: Evaluate major dissemination mechanisms.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: AHRQ Clearinghouse customer satisfaction rated at 98 percent.
Actual Performance: Target met. For details, select GPRA: Clearinghouse Customer Service Survey.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Customer satisfaction data on AHRQ consumer publications (useful/relevant) rated at 90 percent.
Actual Performance: 81.3 percent. For details, select GPRA: Customer Satisfaction.
Fiscal Year 2001 Objective 4.3: N/A
Fiscal Year 2000 Objective 4.3: Evaluate the impact of MEPS data and associated products on policymaking and research
projects.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2000:
- Use of MEPS data in 1 percent of research applications received by AHRQ.
- Distribution of MEPS data sets to at least 2,500 requestors.
- Feedback from recipients of MEPS data indicating that the data were timely, useful, and of high significance.
- At least five examples of how research using MEPS has been used to inform decisions by Federal, State, and private-sector
policymakers.
Fiscal Year 1999 Objective 4.3: N/A
Select Appendix 2 for more detail on changes made in Goal 4.
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Goal 5: Support Department-wide Initiative to Improve Health Care Quality Through Leadership and
Research
Fiscal Year 2001-2000 Objective 5.1: Conduct research to help to measure the current status health care quality in the
Nation.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2001:
Targets, Fiscal Year 2000:
- Data sources identified that will contribute information as part of the mosaic picture of quality of care in the Nation.
- Develop and begin to test some questions to be added to existing data collection activities to provide a better picture of quality.
- Develop framework for National Health Care Quality Report.
Fiscal Year 1999 Objective 5.1: Provide leadership for the Executive Branch's Quality Interagency Coordination Task Force
(QuIC).
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Collaborative work groups are established under the QuIC under take projects with direct application to improving quality of care.
Actual Performance: Target met.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: In addition to the work on specific projects chosen by the QuIC, communication is facilitated on common issues such as:
- Implementation of the Bill of Rights and Responsibilities from the President's Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in
the Health Care Industry.
- Organization or management strategies to improve quality of care.
Actual Performance: Target met. For details, select GPRA:
Objective 5.1.
Fiscal Year 2001-2000 Objective 5.2: Facilitate use of quality information to improve health care in the Nation.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2001:
- Number of grants to assess quality improvement strategies.
Reference: Commitment Base.
- Adoption of Agency sponsored research and tools developed by one or more users to facilitate consumers/purchaser/decisionmaker use of information about quality.
Reference: Commitment Base.
Target, Fiscal Year 2000: Development of at least one tool that can be used by large group purchasers in assisting their beneficiaries to choose the health
care plan, provider, or hospital that best meets their needs.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Inventory of measures and risk adjustment methods currently in use by Federal Agencies will be developed.
Actual Performance: Target met.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Assessment of measures and risk adjustment methods needed by Federal Agencies will be conducted.
Actual Performance: Target met. For details, select GPRA: Objective 5.2.
Fiscal Year 2001-2000 Objective 5.3: Improve quality measurement.
Target, Fiscal Year 2001: Identification of collaborators for research projects on electronic medical records integrated with guidelines (e.g., from the
Guideline Clearinghouse) or quality indicators (e.g., CONQUEST, QI Taxonomy project, HCUP measures).
Reference: Commitment Base.
Target, Fiscal Year 2000: Sponsor research to fill existing gaps in needed measures will be supported.
Fiscal Year 1999 Objective 5.3: Inform health care organizational leaders and others how to design quality into their systems.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Review research conducted that identifies appropriate ways of redesigning health care delivery systems to reduce errors.
Actual Performance: Target met. For details, select GPRA: Objective 5.3.
Fiscal Year 2000 Objective 5.4: Discontinued.
Fiscal Year 1999 Objective 5.4: Improve understanding of how to ensure that research affects clinical practice as
appropriate.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Research on effective dissemination of information to decisionmakers including patients, clinicians, organizational leaders,
purchasers, and public policymakers conducted.
Actual Performance: Target met. For details, select GPRA: Objective 5.4.
More detail on changes made in Goal 5 is in Appendix 2.
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Budget Line 2: Medical Panel Expenditure Surveys
Funding Levels:
Fiscal Year 1999: $29,300,000 (Enacted).
Fiscal Year 2000: $36,000,000 (Enacted).
Fiscal Year 2001: $40,850,000 (Fiscal Year 2001 Request).
Goal 6: Collect Current Data and Create Data Tapes and Associated Products on Health
Care Use and Expenditure for Use by Public and Private-sector Decisionmaker and
Researchers (Medical Expenditure Panel Survey)
Fiscal Year 2001-1999 Objective 6.1: Release and disseminate MEPS data and information products in timely manner for
use by researchers, policymakers, purchasers, and plans.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2001:
- Core public use data files available within a year of the end of data collection (except the full-year expenditure file, which will be
available 18 months after the end of data collection).
Reference: Commitment Base.
- Response time for requests received for information, assistance or specific products is as promised 95 percent of time.
Reference: Commitment Base.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2000:
- Core MEPS public use files (PUFs) available through Web site and CD-ROM within 9-18 months after data collection completed.
- Specific products due in Fiscal Year 2000:
- 1999 point-in-time file.
- 1997 expenditure data available.
- 1996 full panel file available.
- Customer satisfaction data from use of MEPS tapes and products rated at least 90 percent.
- Response time for requests received from policymakers, purchasers and plans for MEPS data tapes, analyses, and/or reports
responded to within promised time frames 95 percent of time.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Core MEPS public use files (PUFs) available through Web site and CD-ROM within 9-12 months after data collection completed.
Actual Performance: Significant progress made.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Specific products due in Fiscal Year 1999:
- 1997 point-in-time file.
- 1996 full-year expenditure file.
- 1996 full-year event, job, and condition files.
- 1998 point-in-time file.
Actual Performance: Delivered:
- 1997 point-in-time file: March 1999.
- 1996 full-year expenditure file: December 1999.
- 1996 full-year event, job, and condition files: Job and Condition Files delivered November 1999 and August 1999 respectively; event files will be available by March 2000.
- 1998 point-in-time file: December 1999.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Research findings and survey reports developed and disseminated for use by policymakers and researchers including MEPS Research Findings, MEPS Highlights, chartbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, book published on contributions of expenditure
surveys to policymaking, publications oriented toward non-researchers.
Actual Performance: 30+ publications related to MEPS.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Customer satisfaction data from use of MEPS tapes and products rated at 85 percent.
Actual Performance: Ratings between 86 and 96 percent.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Requests received from policymakers, purchasers and plans for MEPS data tapes, analyses, and/or reports responded to within
promised time frames 85 percent of the time.
Actual Performance: Requests filled within 5 days uniformly. For details, select GPRA: Objective 6.1.
Fiscal Year 2001-1999 Objective 6.2: Facilitate use of MEPS data and associated products as tools by extramural
researchers, policymakers, purchasers, and plans.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2001:
- Increase number of Data Center user days by 20 percent over 2000 baseline.
Reference: Commitment Base.
- Distribution of MEPS data sets to 1,000 users.
Reference: Commitment Base.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2000: Data centers operational
- xx requests for use of the centers.
- xx user-days at the data centers.
- xx projects completed.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Inclusion of MEPS data in extramural research grants with AHRQ and other funders.
Actual Performance: Included in 20 applications, 5 funded.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Plan for extramural researcher access to MEPS data fully implemented.
Actual Performance: Will be fully up February 2000. For details, select GPRA: Objective 6.2.
Fiscal Year 2001 Objective 6.3: Modify and enhance MEPS to enable ongoing reporting on the quality of health care in
America.
Target, Fiscal Year 2001: Data collection begins on the treatment of common clinical conditions over time for a nationally representative portion of the
population in support of the National Health Care Quality Report.
Actual Performance: For details, select Budget: The National Healthcare Quality Report.
Fiscal Year 2000 Objective 6.3: Modify and enhance MEPS to enable reporting on the quality of health care in America as
part of Fiscal Year 2000 Priority (3), "New Tools for a New Century."
Target, Fiscal Year 2000: The design decisions necessary for the expansion of MEPS databases in order to collect data that will support the National
Healthcare Quality Report are completed by August 2000. The design decisions will be operationalized in the coming fiscal years.
Fiscal Year 1999 Objective 6.3: Modify and enhance MEPS to enable reporting on the quality of health care in America.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: MEPS Household Survey: Interviews with 9,000 previously surveyed families to obtain calendar year 1998 health care data, and
with 5,600 new families.
Actual Performance: Target met.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: MEPS Medical Provider Survey: Interviews with approximately 3,000 facilities, 12,000 office-based providers, 7,000 hospital-identified physicians, and more than 500 home health providers.
Actual Performance: Target met.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: MEPS Insurance Component (MEPS-IC): Interviews with more than 40,000 employers and 1,000 insurance carriers.
Actual Performance: Target met.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: MEPS data collection successfully moved to ongoing survey mode from data collection every 10 years.
Actual Performance: Target met. For details, select GPRA: Objective 6.3.
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Budget Line 3: Program Support
Funding Levels:
Fiscal Year 1999: $2,341,000 (Enacted).
Fiscal Year 2000: $2,484,000 (Enacted).
Fiscal Year 2001: $2,500,000 (Fiscal Year 2001 Request).
Goal 7: Support the Overall Direction and Management of AHRQ
Objective 7.1 is mandatory (Capital Assets) but not applicable to AHRQ.
Fiscal Year 2000-1999 Objective 7.2: Maintain acquisition performance management system to ensure:
- Timely completion of transactions.
- Vendor and customer satisfaction.
- Efficient and effective use of resources.
Target, Fiscal Year 2001: Discontinued.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2000:
- Internal customer satisfaction rated at minimum of 4.5/5.
- External customer satisfaction rated at 4.5/5.
- Customer satisfaction survey results assessed and used to implement changes to improve and enhance services.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Internal customer satisfaction rated at minimum of 4.5/5.
Actual Performance: 4.4/5.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: External customer satisfaction rated at 4/5.
Actual Performance: 4/5.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Customer satisfaction survey results assessed and used to implement changes to improve and enhance services.
Actual Performance: Target met. For details, select GPRA: Objective 7.2.
Fiscal Year 2000-1999 Objective 7.3: Continued enhancement and expansion of Agency Intranet site to ensure staff have
immediate access to all current information.
Target, Fiscal Year 2001: Discontinued.
Targets, Fiscal Year 2000:
- Customer satisfaction rated at minimum of 3.5/4.
- Demonstration through customer satisfaction surveys that the daily work of staff has been facilitated by the Intranet.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999: Customer satisfaction rated at minimum of 3.5/4.
Actual Performance: 3.1/4.
Target, Fiscal Year 1999:
Customer satisfaction surveys assessed and used to implement changes to improve and enhance services as necessary.
Actual Performance: Target met. For details, select GPRA: Objective 7.3.
Note: "Commitment Base" identifies budgeted projects and initiatives started in past years and still continuing.
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Internet Citation:
Performance Plans for FY 2000 and 2001 and Performance Report for FY 1999. Executive Summary. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/about/gpra2001/exsumm01a.htm
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