AHRQ Resource Center Will Support IT Demonstration Projects
June 15, 2004
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality on Monday released a request for proposals to create a health care IT resource center to support recipients of AHRQ's IT grants, Government Computer News reports. The grants will go toward projects demonstrating the effect of technology on patient safety and quality of care.
The center will coordinate data interoperability projects in five states and regions and support electronic health records programs among the Indian Health Service and federal health agencies such as CMS, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Health Resources and Services Administration. It will also recommend clinical decision-making processes and systems and promote the development of local health information infrastructures.
The contract is valued at $18.6 million, and AHRQ expects it will run two years with three option years. Proposals are due July 29 and the contract should by announced by Sept. 30.
Next year AHRQ could add projects and funding to support HHS efforts to boost IT adoption and create a national health information infrastructure for sharing patient data (Mosquera, Government Computer News, 6/14).
Brailer to Announce IT Plan
Dr. David Brailer, the recently appointed national heath care IT coordinator, will outline his initial IT plans on July 21, Health Data Management reports. Brailer also will release a progress report for a plan to implement President Bush's April 27 executive order requiring federal health programs to promote public and private adoption of interoperable health care technology.
Brailer and HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson will speak on July 21 at the Secretarial Summit, which will take place in conjunction with the 2004 National Health Information Infrastructure conference that week (Health Data Management, 6/14).
