AHRQ Issues Request for Applications on Clinical Informatics and Patient Safety Research

Press Release Date: February 23, 2001

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is seeking applications from non-profit organizations, universities, clinics, and federal, state and local government agencies for demonstration research projects that use clinical informatics to promote patient safety ("CLIPS"). AHRQ expects to award up to $3.5 million under the Request for Application (RFA), which is the fourth in a series of six RFAs to be released in FY 2001 under the Agency's new patient safety demonstration program.

Through CLIPS, AHRQ will assess the extent to which information technology innovations, when applied in various health care settings, contribute to measurable and sustainable improvements in patient safety and quality of care. Projects funded under this RFA will support development and testing of technology tools, such as hand-held electronic medication and specimen management systems,training simulators for medical education, computerized bar-coding, patient bracelets, smart cards, automated medication dispensing systems and computerized physician order entry that can be used to reduce the risk of medical errors and improve quality of care.

Specifically, AHRQ will consider research in the following three topical areas: (1) the role of informatics in improving clinical decision-making, reducing errors, and advancing patient safety; (2) barriers to acceptance and adoption of health information technology for improved patient safety; and (3) utilization of effective strategies to improve patient safety while maintaining patient confidentiality. The Agency will give special priority to applications that emphasize noninpatient health care settings and priority populations (including women, children, elderly, minority, low-income populations, and patients with special health care needs).

With the announcement of CLIPS, the Agency has now released the fourth in its series of integrated RFAs aimed at improving patient safety and reducing errors. The third RFA, announced February 2, will fund up to 13 cooperative agreements for demonstration projects that assess the effectiveness of various methods of collecting and using information to reduce medical errors and their impact (select for press release: http://www.ahrq.gov/news/press/pr2001/sysdemopr.htm). The first two RFAs, announced last year, will fund Centers of Excellence for Patient Safety and Practice, and Developmental Centers for Evaluation and Research in Patient Safety (DCERPS). The two remaining RFAs will focus on the effect of working conditions on patient safety and patient safety research dissemination and education.

Letters of intent for CLIPS are due April 6, 2001; applications are due April 23, 2001. For additional information on this RFA, go to the February 23, 2001, NIH Guide at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HS-01-006.html.

In addition, a special technical workshop for interested applicants is scheduled for March 12, 2001, at AHRQ, 6010 Executive Blvd., Rockville, MD. Call Dr. Eduardo Ortiz at (301) 427-1585, or E-mail him at EOrtiz@ahrq.gov for details.

For additional information, please contact AHRQ Public Affairs, (301) 427-1364: Karen Migdail, (301) 427-1855 .

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Internet Citation:

AHRQ Issues Request for Applications on Clinical Informatics and Patient Safety Research. Press Release, February 23, 2001. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/press/pr2001/clipspr.htm

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