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This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated. News Release
HHS Issues National Reports on Quality and Disparities in the Use of Health Care ServicesHHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today released two reports that represent the first national comprehensive effort to measure the quality of health care in America and differences in access to health care services for priority populations. The reports, National Healthcare Quality Report and the National Healthcare Disparities Report, provide baseline views of the quality of health care and differences in use of the services. Future reports will help the nation make continuous improvements by tracking quality through a consistent set of measures that will be updated as new measures and data become available. "We need to make sure that we are building a healthier America by improving the quality of health care and ensuring that all our citizens benefit from the advantages that our health care system offers," Secretary Thompson said. "Assessing health care quality highlights our successes in reaching that goal, but more importantly, it shows us where we have more work to do and how we can make sure that all Americans benefit from scientific advances and technological innovations." The reports point to an important priority for HHS to ensure that all Americans have the safest, highest-quality health care services possible available to them when needed. They were prepared by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) as directed by Congress. The reports present data on the quality of, and differences in the access to, services for seven clinical conditions, including cancer, diabetes, end-stage renal disease, heart disease, HIV and AIDS, mental health, and respiratory disease. The reports also include data on maternal and child health, nursing home and home health care, and patient safety. The measures included in the reports provide an important snapshot of the American health care system. The National Healthcare Quality Report offers hopeful signs in many areas. For example:
The report also indicates that greater improvement in health care quality is possible. For example:
The National Healthcare Disparities Report presents data on the same clinical conditions and other measures as the Quality Report as they apply to the priority populations, including women; children; the elderly; racial and ethnic minority groups; low income groups; residents of rural areas; and individuals with special health care needs, specifically children with special needs, people with disabilities, people in need of long-term care, and people requiring end-of-life care. The report found that priority populations do as well or better than the general population in some aspects of health care.
However, there is room for improvement in other areas. For example:
"The data in these reports provide an important message for the nation -- we are making progress in enhancing health care quality and access, but we can do more, and we need to do more" said Carolyn M. Clancy, AHRQ's director. "The first editions of these reports, and those that follow, are an important key to meeting that challenge." The reports are available on a new Web site, http://www.qualitytools.ahrq.gov. Launched today, the site serves as a Web-based clearinghouse to make it easier for health care providers, health plans, policymakers, purchasers, patients and consumers to take effective steps to improve quality. Print copies of the reports also can be obtained by calling 1-800-358-9295 or by e-mailing ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov. ### Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news. Last Revised: December 22, 2003 |