AHRQ serves as the science partner with private-sector and public organizations in their efforts to improve the quality, effectiveness, and appropriateness of health care delivery in the United States, and to expedite the translation of evidence-based research findings into improved health care services. In this context, AHRQ awards task order contracts to its Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPCs) to undertake scientific analysis and evidence syntheses on topics of high priority to its public and private healthcare partners and the health care community in general.
Background
The EPCs produce science syntheses—evidence reports and technology assessments—that provide to public and private organizations the foundation for developing and implementing their own practice guidelines, performance measures, educational programs, and other strategies to improve the quality of health care and decisionmaking related to the effectiveness and appropriateness of specific health care technologies and services. The evidence reports and technology assessments also may be used to inform coverage and reimbursement policies.
Professional societies, health systems, employers, insurers, providers, and consumer groups are encouraged to nominate topics and thereby collaborate with AHRQ as it carries out its mission to promote the practice of evidence-based health care. Each year, AHRQ supports approximately 9 evidence reports in collaboration with non-Federal partners, including national associations, medical societies, health plans, and others. Nominations of topics from non-Federal partners are solicited annually through a notice in the Federal Register. However, topic nominations are accepted on an ongoing basis. All nominations received in the previous year as well as topics that were previously submitted but not selected are considered for the upcoming year.
Nominations can be submitted electronically. Select for the Template for Electronic Submissions of Topics for AHRQ Evidence Reports or Technology Assessments (MS Word® file, 80 KB; Word® Viewer).
In addition, the EPC Coordinating Center has developed a detailed Partner's Guide which can be accessed at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcpartner/. Federal partners frequently request evidence reports to support their activities. Any interested federal partner is encouraged to contact the EPC Program Director.
Reports and assessments usually require about 15 months to go from conception to publication. AHRQ widely disseminates the EPC evidence reports and technology assessments, both electronically and in print. The EPC evidence reports and technology assessments do not make clinical recommendations or those related to reimbursement and coverage policies.
Role/Responsibilities of Partners
Nominators of topics selected for development into an EPC evidence report or technology assessment assume the role of Partners of AHRQ and the EPCs. Partners have defined roles and responsibilities. AHRQ places high value on these relationships, and plans to review Partners' past performance of these responsibilities, as AHRQ is considering whether to accept additional topics nominated by an organization in subsequent years. Specifically, Partners are expected to serve as resources to EPCs as they develop the evidence reports and technology assessments related to the nominated topic; serve as external peer reviewers of relevant draft evidence reports and assessments; and commit to timely translation of the EPC reports and assessments into their own quality improvement tools (e.g., clinical practice guidelines, performance measures), educational programs, and reimbursement policies; and dissemination of these derivative products to their membership as appropriate. AHRQ also is interested in members' use of these derivative products and the products' impact on enhanced health care. AHRQ will look to the Partners to provide these use and impact data on products that are based on EPC evidence reports and technology assessments.
Resource materials for EPC Partners can be accessed at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcpartner/epcresmat.htm.
Report Topics
The EPCs prepare evidence reports and technology assessments on topics for which there is significant demand for information by health care providers, insurers, purchasers, health-related societies, and patient advocacy organizations. Such topics may include the prevention, diagnosis and/or treatment of particular clinical and behavioral conditions, use of alternative or complementary therapies, and appropriate use of commonly provided services, procedures, or technologies. Topics also may include issues related to the organization and financing of care such as risk adjustment methodologies, market performance measures, provider payment mechanisms, and insurance purchasing tools, as well as measurement or evaluation of provider integration of new scientific findings regarding health care and delivery innovations. Previous evidence reports can be found at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcix.htm.
AHRQ is very interested in receiving topic nominations from professional societies and organizations comprised of members of minority populations, as well as topic nominations that have significant impact on AHRQ priority populations including low-income groups, minority groups, women, children, the elderly, and individuals with special health care needs, such as those with disabilities, need chronic care or end-of-life healthcare, or live in inner-city and rural areas.
Topic Nomination
Nominations of topics for AHRQ evidence reports and technology assessments should focus on specific aspects of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and/or management of a particular condition; an individual procedure, treatment, or technology; or a specific healthcare organizational or financial strategy. The processes that AHRQ employs to select clinical and behavioral topics as well as organization and financing topics nominated by the EPCs is described below. For each topic, the nominating organization must provide the following information:
- Rationale and supporting evidence on the relevance and importance of the topic.
- Three to five focused questions on the topic to be addressed.
- Plans for rapid translation of the evidence reports and technology assessments into clinical guidelines, performance measures, educational programs, or other strategies for strengthening the quality of health care services, or plans to inform development of reimbursement or coverage policies.
- Plans for use and/or dissemination of these derivative products, e.g. to membership if appropriate.
- Process by which the nominating organization will measure the use of these products and impact of such use.
Topic Selection
Factors that will be considered in the selection of topics for AHRQ evidence report and technology assessment topics include:
- Burden of disease including severity, incidence and/or prevalence or relevance of organizational/financial topic to the general population and/or AHRQ's priority populations, including low-income groups, minority groups, women, children, the elderly, and individuals with special health care needs, such as those with disabilities, need chronic care or end-of-life healthcare, or live in inner-city and rural areas.
- Controversy or uncertainty about the topic and availability of scientific data to support the systematic review and analysis of the topic.
- Total costs associated with a condition, procedure, treatment, technology, or organization/financial topic whether due to the number of people needing care, the unit cost of care, or indirect costs.
- Potential impact for reducing clinically significant variations in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or management of a disease or condition, or in the use of a procedure or technology;informing and for improving patient and/or provider decisionmaking, improving health outcomes, and/or reducing costs.
- Relevance to the needs of the Medicare, Medicaid and other Federal healthcare programs.
- Nominating organization's plan to disseminate derivative products, measure use and impact of these products on outcomes, or otherwise incorporate the report into its managerial or policy decisionmaking.
Submit Nominations
Topics nominations should be submitted to:
Beth Collins Sharp, Ph.D., R.N.
Acting Director, EPC Program
Center for Outcomes and Evidence
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
540 Gaither Road, Suite 6000
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: (301) 427-1503
Fax: (301) 427-1520
Electronic submissions to epc@ahrq.gov are preferred.
Current as of April 2007
Internet Citation:
EPC Topic Nomination and Selection. April 2007. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epc/epctopicn.htm
540 Gaither Road Rockville, MD 20850