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Agency for Healthcare Research Quality www.ahrq.gov
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Performance Plans for FY 2000 and 2001 and Performance Report for FY 1999

Appendix 2. Changes and Improvements Over Previous Year

Summary

The GPRA plan has been reformatted into the generic format developed within the Department of Health and Human Services.

The major change to the Fiscal Year 2001 performance plan is the elimination of Goal 7, which was aligned the Agency's third budget line, Program Support. Entitled, "Support the overall direction and management of AHRQ," it reported on management issues for contracts management and internal information system development. The Agency is dropping the contracts management measures because they do not rise to the level of being one of the "critical few" measures that should be reported by the Agency. These measures remain in place internally in the Office of Management Operations Plan and employee performance plans for the managers and staff. The information systems are now being reported on in Appendix 4 and do not require separate goals and measures. The measures for this area also remain in place internally in the Office of Management Operations Plan and employee performance plans for the managers and staff.

The number of indicators for each of the Fiscal Year plans has not fluctuated greatly (Fiscal Year 1999—45, Fiscal Year 2000—46, Fiscal Year 2001—46). However, there has been an increasing emphasis on two particular GPRA goals. The indicators for Goal 3, where the Agency's increasing emphasis on translating research into practice (TRIP) is represented, have increased from 12 in Fiscal Year 1999 to 14 in Fiscal Year 2001. For Goal 4, where the evaluations of the use and impact of AHRQ research findings, tools, and products in the health care system are listed, the number of indicators has increased from 7 in Fiscal Year 1999 to 15 in Fiscal Year 2001. The increase in indicators for Goal 4 clearly demonstrates AHRQ's commitment to showing that the results of its investment in research is having an impact on the health care of the American public.

Additionally, as we do each year, the measures were updated to reflect where Agency programs are expected to be in 2001. That resulted in output measures being added for research initiatives that are expected to come to fruition. Also, some initiatives are now being assessed under Goal 4 (evaluation) because the results, products, or tools are now being evaluated for their impact when used in the health care system. Additionally, some measures were changed based on the data collected in Fiscal Year 1999.

Objectives under GPRA Goals 3, 4, and 6 have been consolidated to eliminate duplication and unnecessary detail.

Goal 1: Establish Future Research Needs Based on User's Needs

1999 Performance Objective:
Objective 1.1: Define direction of Fiscal Year project funding priorities, in large part, by needs assessment activities.
2000 Performance Objective:
Objective 1.1: Define direction of Fiscal Year project funding priorities, in large part, by needs assessment activities.
2001 Performance Objective:
Objective 1.1: Define direction of Fiscal Year project funding priorities, in large part, by needs assessment activities.

Goal 2: Make significant contributions to the effective functioning of the U.S health care system through the creation of new knowledge.

1999 Performance Objective:
Objective 2.1: Determine the salient findings from research for three priority populations and develop plan for next steps in translation and dissemination.
2000 Performance Objective:
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.
2001 Performance Objective:
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.

1999 Performance Objective:
Objective 2.2: Achieve significant findings from AHRQ sponsored and conducted research.
2000 Performance Objective:
Objective 2.2: Achieve significant findings from AHRQ sponsored and conducted research.
2001 Performance Objective:
Objective 2.2: Achieve significant findings from AHRQ sponsored and conducted research.

1999 Performance Objective:
Objective 2.3: Initiate Fiscal Year 1999 Research Initiatives.
2000 Performance Objective:
Objective 2.3: Implement Fiscal Year 2000 priority (1) "New Research on Priority Health Issues."
2001 Performance Objective:
Objective 2.3: Initiate Fiscal Year 2000 Research Initiatives.
Comment: The wording changes slightly every year to reflect implementation of current initiatives.

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.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 3.1: Promote distribution of AHRQ publications, products, and tools through intermediary organizations.
2000 Performance Objective
Objective 3.1: Promote distribution of AHRQ publications, products, and tools through intermediary organizations.
2001 Performance Objective
Objective 3.1: Maximize dissemination of information, tools, and products developed from research results for use in practice settings.
Comment: 3.1 and 3.2 were consolidated to reduce redundancy.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 3.2: Maximize dissemination of information, tools, and products developed from research results for use in practice settings.
2000 Performance Objective
Objective 3.2: Maximize dissemination of information, tools, and products developed from research results for use in practice settings.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 3.3: Develop and facilitate the use of new tools, talent, products, and implementation methodologies stemming from research portfolio.
2001 Performance Objective
Objective 3.2: Develop and facilitate the use of new tools, talent, products, and implementation methodologies stemming from research portfolio.
Comment: We have maintained this objective with a different number.

Goal 4: Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of AHRQ research and associated activities.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 4.1: Evaluate the impact of AHRQ sponsored products in advancing methods to measure and improve health care.
2000 Performance Objective
Objective 4.1: Evaluate the impact of AHRQ sponsored products in advancing methods to measure and improve health care.
2001 Performance Objective
Objective 4.1: Evaluate the impact of AHRQ sponsored products in advancing methods to measure and improve health care outcomes and quality.
Comment: The Fiscal Year 2000 plan inadvertently had two objectives of the same title. That redundancy has been removed. With that exception, the objectives remain the same as Fiscal Year 2000.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 4.2: Evaluate major dissemination mechanisms.
2000 Performance Objective
Objective 4.2: Evaluate the impact of AHRQ sponsored products in advancing methods to measure and improve health care.
2001 Performance Objective
Objective 4.2: Evaluate the impact of MEPS data and associated products on policymaking and research products.
Comment: The Fiscal Year 2000 plan inadvertently had two objectives of the same title. That redundancy has been removed. With that exception, the objectives remain the same as Fiscal Year 2000.

2000 Performance Objective
Objective 4.3: Evaluate the impact of MEPS data and associated products on policymaking and research projects.
Comment: The Fiscal Year 2000 plan inadvertently had two objectives of the same title. That redundancy has been removed. With that exception, the objectives remain the same as Fiscal Year 2000.

Goal 5: Support Department-wide Initiative to Improve Health Care Quality through leadership and research.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 5.1: Provide leadership for the Executive Branch's Quality Interagency Coordination Task Force (QuIC)
2000 Performance Objective
Objective 5.1: Conduct research to help to measure the current status health care quality in the Nation.
2001 Performance Objective
Objective 5.1: Conduct research to help to measure the current status health care quality in the Nation.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 5.2: Conduct research to expand the toolbox of measures and risk adjustment methods available help to measure the current status of quality in the Nation.
2000 Performance Objective
Objective 5.2: Facilitate use of quality information to improve health care in the Nation.
2001 Performance Objective
Objective 5.2: Facilitate use of quality information to improve health care in the Nation.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 5.3: Inform health care organizational leaders and others how to design quality into their systems.
2000 Performance Objective
Objective 5.3: Improve quality measurement.
2001 Performance Objective
Objective 5.3: Improve quality measurement.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 5.4: Improve understanding of how to ensure that research affects clinical practice as appropriate.

Goal 6: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 6.1: Release and disseminate MEPS data and information products in timely manner for use by researchers, policy makers, purchasers, and plans.
2000 Performance Objective
Objective 6.1: Release and disseminate MEPS data and information products in timely manner for use by researchers, policy makers, purchasers, and plans.
2001 Performance Objective
Objective 6.1: Release and disseminate MEPS data and information products in timely manner for use by researchers, policy makers, purchasers, and plans.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 6.2: Facilitate use of MEPS data and associated products as tools by extramural researchers, policy makers, purchasers, and plans.
2000 Performance Objective
Objective 6.2: Facilitate use of MEPS data and associated products as tools by extramural researchers, policy makers, purchasers, and plans.
2001 Performance Objective
Objective 6.2: Facilitate use of MEPS data and associated products as tools by extramural researchers, policy makers, purchasers, and plans.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 6.3: Modify and enhance MEPS to enable reporting on the quality of health care in America.
2000 Performance Objective
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.
2001 Performance Objective
Objective 6.3: Modify and enhance MEPS to enable ongoing reporting on the quality of health care in America.
Comment: The name changed slightly to make the objective more generic from year to year. This objective is where the Agency will note the ongoing and important role that MEPS is playing in measuring national quality.

Goal 7: Support the overall direction and management of AHRQ

Budget line: Program Support.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 7.1 is mandatory (Capital Assets) but not applicable to AHRQ.
2000 Performance Objective
Objective 7.1 is mandatory (Capital Assets) but not applicable to AHRQ.
2001 Performance Objective
Discontinued.
Comment: The measures for these objectives are for internal management and do not warrant being reported outside AHRQ. The measures for this area also remain in place internally in the Office of Management Operations Plan and employee performance plans for the managers and staff.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 7.2: Maintain acquisition performance management system to ensure: (1) timely completion of transactions, (2) vendor and customer satisfaction, and (3) efficient and effective use of resources.
2000 Performance Objective
Objective 7.2: Maintain acquisition performance management system to ensure: (1) timely completion of transactions, (2) vendor and customer satisfaction, and (3) efficient and effective use of resources.
2001 Performance Objective
Discontinued.
Comment: The measures for these objectives are for internal management and do not warrant being reported outside AHRQ. The measures for this area also remain in place internally in the Office of Management Operations Plan and employee performance plans for the managers and staff.

1999 Performance Objective
Objective 7.3: Continued enhancement and expansion of Agency Intranet site to ensure staff have immediate access to all current information.
2000 Performance Objective
Objective 7.3: Continued enhancement and expansion of Agency Intranet site to ensure staff have immediate access to all current information.
2001 Performance Objective
Discontinued.
Comment: The measures for these objectives are for internal management and do not warrant being reported outside AHRQ. The measures for this area also remain in place internally in the Office of Management Operations Plan and employee performance plans for the managers and staff.

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