Each year, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and AcademyHealth will recognize articles published in peer-reviewed journals in the previous year using HCUP databases to explore and address health care research topics and issues. Work honored will demonstrate how HCUP has contributed to these areas.

The call for nominations usually occurs in February and March each calendar year. Announcements are posted on the HCUP-US web site.

Since the inception of this Award in 2010, when outstanding articles from 2009 were selected, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has recognized exceptional research conducted using the HCUP databases in the clinical and health policy arenas. This research continues to enhance the public conversation about health care costs, outcomes, and trends. Over the years, the Award has grown into a distinguished honor among health services researchers with a variety of clinical insights, economic interests, and policy backgrounds. AHRQ is proud of the important work being done with HCUP data, and is excited to see what researchers nominate for each year's award.

Contents:

• Article Criteria
• How to Apply
• Selection of Winners
• Recognition
• Archive of Award Recipients

All nominations must have used HCUP data and been published in a peer-reviewed journal during the previous calendar year and demonstrate that their work excels in these core criteria:

• Important or timely research topic relative to the author's field of research
• Outstanding quality of research
• Implication for application in future practice and/or research
• Innovative and inspiring perspective on health, the health care field, public health policy or research

Articles may be on any subject that can be investigated using HCUP data. Topic examples include:

• Clinical innovations and/or medical practice enhancements
• Advancements in the understanding of a condition or procedure
• New or alternative research design approaches in viewing outcomes
• Contributions to understanding the health services field through data linkages or enhancements
• Characteristics of a health care market or the U.S. health care system
• Identification of health care practices (or changes in practices and behavior) within or across a population
• Impact of changes in health care behavior or policy
• Improvements on the understanding of health care policy initiatives
• Demonstrations of how research can be translated in to policy practice

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Researchers may self-nominate or be nominated by another individual (e.g., a colleague of the author or authors).

During nomination periods, a Nomination Form will be available here.

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All applications will be reviewed by an HCUP Award Committee. Award recipients will be chosen based on the criteria outlined above.

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Awards are presented at AcademyHealth's Annual Research Meeting. Travel reimbursement will be provided by AcademyHealth for the lead authors. While they will not receive travel reimbursement, secondary authors, as well as the lead author, will be recognized with a certificate.

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For a complete listing of previous Award recipients, please see Archive of Award Recipients.

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