1. Improving Healthcare Quality with Information Technology
Scott Young, M.D.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
May 2004

2. FY ’04 Health IT Programs Current AHRQ initiatives:
3 Grant Solicitations
Health IT Resource Center
State and Regional HIT Demonstrations
Indian Health Service EHR Collaboration
CMS – AHRQ Collaboration

3. Transforming Healthcare Quality through Information Technology (THQIT)
Grant Solicitations:
Value $10M
assess the value derived from the adoption, diffusion, and utilization of HIT
Planning $7M
assist healthcare systems and their partners in planning for activities that will lead to successful HIT implementation
Implementation $24M
support organizational and community-wide implementation and diffusion of HIT

4. THQIT – Current Status Grant applications received – April 22, 2004
Nearly 1,000 letters of intent received
Applications from every State

5. Health IT Resource Center
RFP recently announced
Offer assistance grantees
Types of assistance include
Technical and expert
Form collaboration
Share lessons learned
Future expansion (both reach and capabilities)

6. State and Regional HIT Demonstrations
Five year initiative
Offered via contract mechanism
Applicant must be a State government or duly appointed by a State government
Awards in late summer – up to five

7. Accelerate the Use and Adoption of Standards and Technology
$10M Initiative – (AHRQ and ASPE)
Areas of focus
Voluntary industry clinical messaging/terminology standards
National standard nomenclature for drugs/biologics
Comprehensive clinical terminology and nomenclature standards
Conduct research regarding activities to advance and accelerate the adoption of interoperable IT technology

8. Secretary Thompson March 21, 2003
In the modern era, every century has had its
major advance that has brought medical
science another giant step forward. …. What will
the major advance of the 21st century be?
I am convinced that the medical revolution
of our children’s lifetimes will be the
application of information technology to
health care.

9. Future Directions
Demonstrate the value of HIT to improve quality and safety in diverse clinical settings
Build on previous investment – share implementation lessons and best practices from grantees
Expanded collaboration with public and private partners

10. For additional questions, please contact:
Dr. Scott Young,