AHRQ Program Management Tools

National Guideline Clearinghouse™

The National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC)™ provides information on established, evidence-based guidelines in numerous areas, including child health issues such as childhood immunizations or preventive dentistry.

Such information can be critical to those responsible for Medicaid, SCHIP, or Title V programs. To ensure that quality improvement program designs incorporate the best available information and that plan management efforts are effective, States may wish to have information on guidelines concerning child health treatments or services. A State Medicaid or SCHIP program may want background information about guidelines used by its contracted managed care organizations (MCOs).

NGC is a comprehensive database of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines covering a wide variety of diseases, conditions, and treatments. It is sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in partnership with the American Medical Association and the American Association of Health Plans.

NGC provides summary information about each guideline. Guidelines can be compared side by side. NGC offers syntheses of guidelines covering similar topics, highlighting areas of similarity and difference. For inclusion, guidelines must meet criteria in the areas of systematic recommendations; sponsorship; supporting documentation; and currency.

NGC offers user support through E-mail, a CD-ROM tutorial, and an electronic discussion list. It also has a bibliography of effective ways to implement and use guidelines. NGC information is available both electronically and in hard copy format.

CD-ROM Tutorial The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has created a tutorial on CD-ROM to help users navigate the National Guideline Clearinghouse™ which is sponsored by AHRQ in partnership with the American Medical Association and the American Association of Health Plans. The CD-ROM tutorial, which demonstrates most of the features of the NGC, can be run with Windows® or Macintosh operating systems, using Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator browsers, with a minimum of 32 MB of RAM, and a sound card and speakers. The free CD-ROM is available by calling the AHRQ Cleainghouse toll-free at 1-800-358-9295 and asking for the NGC Tutorial.

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AHRQ Evidence Reports

The development of evidence-based health care is a key AHRQ priority. AHRQ funds and publishes research providing scientific evidence concerning the effectiveness of various health care treatments and services. Where available, this information can provide vital guidance to plan management and quality improvement efforts, ensuring the most effective utilization of resources and the most promising quality improvement interventions. AHRQ's Evidence Reports are available online.

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Internet Citation:

Child Health Care Quality Toolbox: AHRQ Program Management Tools. July 2004. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/chtoolbx/useful.htm

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