Description:
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) announces the
availability of planning grants to assist healthcare systems and their
partners in planning for activities that will lead to successful
implementation of health information technology (HIT) to promote and improve
patient safety and the quality of healthcare. The objective of this Request
for Applications (RFA) is to support community-wide planning processes across
multiple healthcare organizations within a local or regional area that will
enable them to develop HIT infrastructure that provides for effective
exchange of health information within the community. Successful planning
efforts should also allow them to compete for future funding for
implementation activities. Applicants may use these funds for planning
development of important infrastructure components including, but not limited
to, computer networks, hardware, software, personnel, project management, and
quality improvement and research capacity.
AHRQ is particularly interested in supporting community-wide collaborative
partnerships that include acute care hospitals, clinics, health care
providers, and other health delivery organization (e.g., public health) that
will also help to provide effective HIT tools for immediate access to
complete and timely health care information in diverse health care settings
(e.g., ambulatory care, long-term care - including home health) that involve
all AHRQ identified priority populations. Through this initiative, AHRQ
seeks to support collaborative planning processes that will result in
standards-based data sharing across multiple care sites and lead to
measurable and sustainable improvements in patient safety and quality of
care.
Projects presented for consideration under this RFA should comply with the
Agencys policy regarding the inclusion of priority populations
(http://grants/nih/gov/grants/notice-files/NOT-HS-03-010.html). Further
information on the requirements is listed in the special requirements section
of this RFA.
It is anticipated that after completion of these planning grants, recipients
will be in a position to compete for subsequent AHRQ funding in Fiscal Year
(FY) 2005 (contingent upon funding availability) that will assist them to
implement HIT successfully in their organizations and measure its impact on
patient safety and both the quality and costs of care.
This RFA includes an area of special emphasis with a portion of the total
funding specifically set aside for projects involving rural and small
hospitals and communities.
This RFA is one in a series of solicitations to be issued by AHRQ in FY 04
on the use of HIT to improve patient safety and quality of care. The
solicitations form an integrated set of activities designed to explore
strategies for successful planning and implementation of HIT solutions in
communities and to demonstrate the value of HIT in patient safety and both
quality and costs of care. The FY 04 HIT initiative will place particular
emphasis on the challenges facing rural and small communities in integrating
HIT into their healthcare delivery systems. In addition to this RFA, other
grants and contracts to be released as part of this program include:
1. Transforming Healthcare Quality Through Information Technology (THQIT)
Implementation Grants - a series of implementation grants to evaluate the
effects of HIT on improving patient safety and both quality and cost of
healthcare. The objective of this RFA is to support implementation and
diffusion of HIT information exchange and sharing and to assess the extent to
which HIT contributes to measurable and sustainable improvements in patient
safety and both quality and costs of care. Research resulting from this RFA
should inform AHRQ, providers, patients, payers, policy makers, and the
public about how community-wide HIT can be successfully implemented in
diverse health care settings and lead to safer and better health for all
Americans.
2. Demonstrating the Value of Health Information Technology Grants - This RFA
will focus on the value derived from the adoption and utilization of HIT to
improve patient safety and quality of care. This RFA will solicit proposals
to elucidate and quantify the value of HIT to providers, patients,
purchasers, payers, policymakers, and other important stakeholders. Research
resulting from this RFA should provide important information on the direct
and indirect costs and benefits of HIT and inform decision makers about
facilitators and barriers to HIT adoption, including various forms of
incentives and disincentives.
3. Health Information Technology Resource Center - The center will provide
technical assistance to grantees; serve as a repository for best practice
assimilation and diffusion; help develop, maintain and export executable
knowledge for clinicians and patients; offer expert HIT support for providers
and communities; perform and sponsor educational activities; and develop and
disseminate tools to help providers and organizations utilize HIT to improve
patient safety and quality of care in their communities.
Who can apply:
Anyone/General Public
City Or Township Governments
County Governments
Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments
Independent School Districts
Individual/Family
Minority Group
Native American Organization
Non-Government - General
Nonprofits Having A 501(C)(3) Status With The IRS, Other Than Institutions Of Higher Education
Nonprofits That Do Not Have A 501(C)(3) Status With The IRS, Other Than Institutions Of Higher Education
Other Private Institution/Organization
Private Institutions Of Higher Education
Private Nonprofit Institution/Organization (Includes Institutions Of Higher Education, Hospitals)
Profit Organization
Public And State Controlled Institutions Of Higher Education
Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities
Small Business (Less Than 500 Employees
Special District Governments
State (Includes District Of Columbia; Includes Institutions Of Higher Education And Hospitals)
U.S. Territories And Possessions (Includes Institutions Of Higher Education, Hospitals)
Eligible functional categories:
Funding Sources:
Medical Library Assistance
Research on Healthcare Costs, Quality and Outcomes
More Information:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HS-04-010.html
If you have problems accessing the full announcement, please contact:
NIH OER Webmaster
Address Info:
Office of Extramural Programs
6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-7963