[Federal Register: April 17, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 73)]
[Notices]
[Page 19203-19205]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17ap07-56]
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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), HHS.
ACTION: Nomination of topics for evidence reports, technology
assessments, and comparative and effectiveness reviews.
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SUMMARY: AHRQ invites nominations of topics for evidence reports,
technology assessments, and comparative and effectiveness reviews
conducted by its Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPC) Program 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
and comparative effectiveness reviews can be found at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcix.htm and http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/
ov/
DATES: Topic nominations for general evidence reports should be
submitted by May 14, 2007, in order to be considered for fiscal year
2007 selection. Topic nominations for comparative and effectiveness
reviews are accepted on an on going basis at: http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/topicNomination/nominationsForm.cfm.
In
addition to timely responses to this request for nominations, AHRQ also
accepts topic nominations on an ongoing basis for consideration for
future years. Topics submitted for consideration as general evidence
reports will concurrently be considered as comparative effectiveness
reviews as appropriate. AHRQ will not reply to individual responses,
but will consider all nominations during the selection process. Those
who submit topics that are selected will be notified by AHRQ.
ADDRESSES: Topics nominations should be submitted to Beth A. Collins
Sharp, Ph.D., R.N., 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beth A. Collins Sharp, Ph.D., R.N.,
Center for Outcomes and Evidence, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD
20850; Phone: (301) 427-1503; Fax: (301) 427-1640; E-mail:
beth.collinssharp@ahrq.hhs.gov.
Arrangement for Public Inspection: All nominations will be
available for public inspection by appointment 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:
1. Background
Under Title IX of the Public Health Service Act, 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, including evaluative medical
literature reviews and technology assessments, and through the
promotion of improvements in clinical practice and health systems
practices.
2. Purpose and Overview
The purpose of this notice is to solicit topic nominations for
evidence reports, technology assessments, and comparative and
effectiveness reviews. Professional societies, health systems,
employers, insurers, providers, and consumer groups are encouraged to
nominate topics and then collaborate with AHRQ, 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 systematic reviews of the scientific literature--
evidence reports, technology assessments, and comparative and
effectiveness reviews--that provide to public and private organizations
the foundation for developing and implementing their own practice
guidelines, performance
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measures, educational programs, and other strategies to improve the
quality of health care and decision-making related to the effectiveness
and appropriateness of specific health care technologies and services.
The evidence reports, technology assessments, and comparative and
effectiveness reviews 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.
Currently, AHRQ supports approximately nine general evidence
reports per year, in collaboration with non-federal partners, and 4-10
comparative effectiveness reviews. Nominations of general 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 once assigned to an EPC. AHRQ widely disseminates the EPC
evidence reports and technology assessments, both electronically and in
print. The EPC evidence reports, technology assessments and comparative
and effectiveness reviews do not make clinical recommendations or
recommendations regarding reimbursement and coverage policies.
3. Role/Responsibilities of Partners for General Topics
Nominators of topics selected for development of an EPC evidence
report 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
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 town quality
improvement tolls (e.g., clinical practice guidelines, performance
measures), educational programs, or reimbursement policies; and
dissemination of these derivative products to their membership or other
health care stakeholders, as appropriate. AHRQ also is interested in
all the uses of these derivative products and the products' impact on
enhanced health care. AHRQ looks to its Partners to provide 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, technology assessments, and
comparative and effectiveness reviews 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 reports and reviews can
be found at http://www.ahrg.gov/clinic/epcix.htm and http://effectivehealthcare
.ahrg.gov/products/progress.cfm.
AHRQ is very interested in receiving topic nominations from
professional societies and organizations composed 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 healthcare, or those who live in
inner-city and rural areas.
5. Topic Nomination
Nominations of topics for AHRQ evidence reports, technology
assessments, and comparative effectiveness reviews 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 healthcare 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 are 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;
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 and others, 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 reports, technology assessments, and comparative and
effectiveness reviews and which should/may be addressed in nomination
material, include:
A. Burden of related disease(s) including severity, incidence and/
or prevalence or relevance of the organizational/financial topic to the
general population and/or AHRQ's or the Secretary's priorities which
are available at http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov;
B. 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;
C. Relevance to the needs of the Medicare, Medicaid and other
Federal healthcare programs;
D. Controversy or uncertainty about the topic and availability of
scientific data to support the systematic review and analysis of the
topic;
E. Potential for reducing 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; and,
F. Nominating organization's plan to disseminate derivative
products, measure use and impact of these products on outcomes, or
otherwise
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incorporate the report into its managerial or policy decision making.
7. Submission of Nominations
Topics nominations for general topics should be submitted to Beth
A. Collins Sharp, PhD, R.N., 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. Topic nominations for comparative effectiveness reviews
should be submitted to http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov.
Dated: April 5, 2007.
Carolyn M. Clancy,
Director.
[FR Doc. 07-1813 Filed 4-16-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M