[Federal Register: December 9, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 236)]
[Notices]
[Page 71416-71418]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09de04-59]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Nominations of Topics for Evidence-based Practice Centers
AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), DHHS.
ACTION: Nominations of topics for evidence reports and technology
assessments.
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SUMMARY: AHRQ invites nominations of topics for evidence reports and
technology assessments relating to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment
and management of common diseases and clinical conditions, as well as
topics relating to the organization and financing of health care.
Previous evidence reports can be found at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic.epcix.htm
.
DATES: Topic nominations should be submitted by January 31, 2005, in
order to be considered for fiscal year 2005. In addition to timely
responses to this request for nominations, AHRQ also accepts topic
nominations on an ongoing basis for consideration for future years.
AHRQ will not reply to individual responses, but will consider all
nominations during the selection process. Those who submitted topics
that were selected will be notified by AHRQ.
ADDRESSES: Topics nominations should be submitted to Kenneth Fink, MD,
MGA, MPH, Director, Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPC) Program,
Center for Outcomes and Evidence, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD
20850.
[[Page 71417]]
Electronic submissions to epc@ahrq.gov. are preferred.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth Fink, MD, MGA, MPH, Center for
Outcomes and Evidence, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850;
Phone: (301) 427-1617; Fax: (301 427-1640; E-mail: kfink@ahrq.gov.
Arrangement for Public Inspection: All nominations will be
available for public inspections at the Center for Outcomes and
Evidence, telephone (301) 427-1600, weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 5
p.m. (eastern time).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under Title IX of the Public Heath Service Act (42 U.S.C. 299-299c-
7) as amended by Public Law 106-129 (1999), AHRQ is charged with
enhancing the quality, appropriateness, and effectiveness of health
care services and access to such services. AHRQ accomplishes these
goals through scientific research and through the promotion of
improvements in clinical practice and health systems practices,
including the prevention of diseases and other health conditions.
2. Purpose and Overview
The purpose of this notice is to solicit topic nominations for
evidence reports and technology assessments. Professional societies,
health systems, employers, insurers, providers, and consumer groups are
encouraged to nominate topics and then collaborate with AHRQ, e.g.,
with suggestions for, and comments, on, draft assessments, as it
carries out its mission to promote the practice of evidence-based
health care. In this endeavor, AHRQ serves as a science partner with
private-sector and public organizations in their efforts to improve the
quality, effectiveness, and appropriateness of health care delivery in
the United States, and to expedite the translation of evidence-based
research findings into improved health care services. To undertake
scientific analyses and evidence syntheses on topics of high-priority
to its public and private health care partners and the health care
community generally, AHRQ awards task order contracts to its Evidence-
based Practice Centers (EPCs).
The EPCs produce science syntheses--evidence reports and technology
assessments--that provide to public and private organizations the
foundation for developing and implementing their own practice
guidelines, performance measures, educational programs, and other
strategies to improve the quality of health care and decisionmaking
related to the effectiveness and appropriateness of specific health
care technologies and services. The evidence reports and technology
assessments also may be used to inform coverage and reimbursement
policies. As the body of scientific studies related to organization and
financing of health care grows, systematic review and analysis of these
studies, in addition to clinical and behavioral research, can provide
health system organizations with a scientific foundation for developing
or improving system-wide policies and practices.
Each year, the AHRQ supports approximately nine evidence reports in
collaboration with non-Federal partners, including national
associations, medical societies, health plans, and others. Nominations
of topics from non-Federal partners are solicited annually through a
notice in the Federal Register. However, topic nominations are accepted
on an ongoing basis. All nominations received in the previous year as
well as topics that were previously submitted but not selected are
considered for the upcoming year.
Reports and assessments usually require about 12 months for
completion. AHRQ widely disseminates the EPC evidence reports and
technology assessments, both electronically and in print. The EPC
evidence reports and technology assessments do not make clinical
recommendations or recommendations regarding reimbursement and coverage
policies.
3. Role/Responsibilities of Partners
Nominators of topics selected for development of an EPC evidence
report or technology assessment assume the role of partners of AHRQ and
the EPCs. Partners have defined roles and responsibilities. AHRQ places
high value on these cooperative relationships, and takes into
consideration a partner organization's past performance of these
responsibilities, when considering whether to accept additional topics
nominated by that organization in subsequent years. Specifically,
partners are expected to serve as resources to EPCs as they develop the
evidence reports and technology assessments related to the nominated
topic; serve as external peer reviewers of relevant draft evidence
reports and assessments; and commit to timely translation of the EPC
reports and assessments into their own quality improvement tools (e.g.,
clinical practice guidelines, performance measures), educational
programs, and reimbursement policies; and dissemination of these
derivative products to their membership as appropriate. AHRQ also is
interested in members' use of these derivative products and the
products' impact on enhanced health care. AHRQ looks to its partners to
provide the use and impact data on products that are based on EPC
evidence reports and technology assessments.
4. Topics for Reports
The EPCs prepare evidence reports and technology assessments on
topics for which there is significant demand for information by health
care providers, insurers, purchasers, health-related societies, and
patient advocacy organizations. Such topics may include the prevention,
diagnosis and/or treatment of particular clinical and behavioral
conditions, use of alternative or complementary therapies, and
appropriate use of commonly provided services, procedures, or
technologies. Topics also may include issues related to the
organization and financing of care such as risk adjustment
methodologies, market performance measures, provider payment
mechanisms, and insurance purchasing tools, as well as measurement or
evaluation of provider integration of new scientific findings regarding
health care and delivery innovations. Previous evidence reports can be
found at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcix.htm.
AHRQ is very interested in receiving topic nominations from
professional societies and organizations comprised of members of
minority populations, as well as topic nominations that have
significant impact on AHRQ priority populations including low income
groups, minority groups, women, children, the elderly, and individuals
with special health care needs, such as those with disabilities, those
who need chronic care or end-of-life health care, or those who live in
inner-city and rural areas.
5. Topic Nomination
Nominations of topics for AHRQ evidence reports and technology
assessments should focus on specific aspects of prevention, diagnosis,
treatment and/or management of a particular condition; an individual
procedure, treatment, or technology; or a specific health care
organizational or financial strategy. The processes that AHRQ employs
to select clinical and behavioral topics as well as organization and
financing topics nominated by the EPCs is described below. For each
topic, the nominating organization must provide the following
information:
A. Rationale and supporting evidence on the relevance and
importance of the topic;
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B. Three to five focused questions on the topic to be addressed;
C. Plans for rapid translation of the evidence reports and
technology assessments into clinical guidelines, performance measures,
educational programs, or other strategies for strengthening the quality
of health care services, or plans to inform development of
reimbursement or coverage policies;
D. Plans for use and/or dissemination of these derivative products,
e.g., to membership if appropriate; and,
E. Process by which the nominating organization will measure the
use of these products and impact of such use.
6. Topic Selection
Factors that will be considered in the selection of topics for AHRQ
evidence report and technology assessment topics include:
A. Burden of disease including severity, incidence and/or
prevalence or relevance of organizational/financial topic to the
general population and/or AHRQ's priority populations;
B. Controvery or uncertainty about the topic and availability of
scientific data to support the systematic review and analysis of the
topic;
C. Total costs associated with a condition, procedure, treatment,
technology, or organization/financial topic taking into account the
number of people needing such care, the unit cost of care, and related
or indirect costs;
D. Potential for achieving clinically significant variations in the
prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or management of a disease or
condition; or in changing the use of a procedure or technology;
informing and improving patient and/or provider decisionmaking;
improving health outcomes; and/or reducing costs;
E. Relevance to the needs of the Medicare, Medicaid and other
Federal health care programs; and,
F. Nominating organization's plan to disseminate derivative
products, measure use and impact of these products on outcomes, or
otherwise incorporate the report into its managerial or policy
decisionmaking.
7. Submission of Nominations
Topics nominations should be submitted to Kenneth Fink, MD, MGA,
MPH, Director, Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPC) Program, Center
for Outcomes and Evidence, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850.
Electronic submissions to epc@ahrq.gov are preferred.
Dated: November 30, 2004.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 04-27058 Filed12-8-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M