Overview
The purpose of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ's) Ambulatory Safety and Quality (ASQ) program is to improve the safety and quality of ambulatory health care in the United States. The program includes four health IT-focused ASQ initiatives. At the conclusion of each ASQ grant initiative, AHRQ developed reports that summarize the projects in each initiative and identify practical insights regarding the use of health IT to improve safety and quality in ambulatory settings.
Synthesis of Findings From Across the ASQ Program Initiatives
This report summarizes this information across the ASQ program, organized according to key aspects of ambulatory care that can be supported and improved through the use of health IT.
Findings and Lessons From the AHRQ Ambulatory Safety and Quality Program (PDF, 1.41 MB)
Detailed Findings From Each ASQ Program Initiative
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Available below are links to a summary report and Web conferences that highlight key findings and lessons learned from the experiences of 12 projects that were awarded under AHRQ's Improving Management of Individuals With Complex Health Care Needs Through Health IT (MCP) grant initiative.
Findings and Lessons From the Improving Management of Individuals With Complex Health Care Needs Through Health IT Grant Initiative
Findings and Lessons From Improving Management of Individuals With Complex Health Care Needs Through Health IT (PDF, 3 MB).
Highlights From Improving Management of Individuals With Complex Health Care Needs Through Health IT Projects
Improving Provider Communication to Improve Transitions in Patient Care (PDF, 152 KB)
Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Ciemins (Grant No. R18 HS017864)
The Depart Process system, which included an electronic discharge checklist, standardized the hospital discharge process to improve care management of patients as they transition from a hospital to a primary care setting.
For more information, please access this video (6 min., 03 sec.) 
National Web Conferences Featuring Improving Management of Individuals With Complex Health Care Needs Through Health IT Projects
- A National Web Conference on Using Health IT to Improve Care Coordination and Outcomes in Patients with Complex Healthcare Needs
On February 20, 2014, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on care coordination for patients with complex health care needs featuring Dr. Ciemins, Dr. Feldman, and Dr. Eisenstein. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/carecoordinationcomplexneedsteleconference - A National Web Conference on E-prescribing: Overcoming Barriers With Successful Implementation Techniques
On September 5, 2012, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on e-prescribing and overcoming associated barriers featuring Dr. Carrow. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/erximplementationteleconference - A National Web Conference on Utilizing Health IT to Improve Medication Management for the Care of Elderly Patients
On August 18, 2011, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on medication management and the care of elderly patients, featuring Dr. Terry Field. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/medicationmanagementforelderlyteleconference - A National Web Conference on Patient Empowerment
On April 8, 2010, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on patient empowerment, featuring Dr. Christine Ritchie. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/patientempowermentteleconference - A National Web Conference on Transitions in Care
On February 24, 2010, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on transitions in care , featuring Dr. Field, who presented on transitions for elderly patients from skilled nursing facilities to home. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/transitionsincareteleconference
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Available below are links to a summary report and Web conferences that highlight key findings and lessons learned from the experiences of 24 projects that were awarded under AHRQ's Improving Quality Through Clinician Use of Health IT (IQHIT) grant initiative.
Findings From the Improving Quality Through Clinician Use of Health IT Projects
Findings and Lessons From Improving Quality Through Clinician Use of Health IT Grant Initiative (PDF, 2.04 MB).
Highlights From Successful Improving Quality Through Clinician Use of Health IT Projects
Forging a Pathway for Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (PDF, 367 KB)
Principal Investigator: Grant Carrow (Grant No. R18 HS017157)
This project provided the first demonstration of electronic prescribing of controlled substances in a community setting, and it helped inform the development of regulations by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to allow controlled substances to be prescribed electronically nationwide.
For more information, please access this video (6 min., 14 sec.)
Pediatric Medication Prescribing Made Simpler and Safer (PDF, 337 KB)
Principal Investigator: Kevin Johnson (Grant No. R18 HS017216)
Safety Through Enhanced e-Prescribing Tools is a clinical decision support tool developed to help providers prescribe medication doses for children.
National Web Conferences Featuring Improving Quality Through Clinician Use of Health IT Projects
- A National Web Conference on Use of Clinical Decision Support To Improve Medication Management
On January 28, 2014, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on using clinical decision support to improve medication management featuring the work of Drs. Fiks, Simon, and Trivedi's IQHIT grants. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/cdsmedmgmtteleconference - A National Web Conference on E-prescribing: Overcoming Barriers With Successful Implementation Techniques
On September 5, 2012, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on e-prescribing and overcoming associated barriers featuring Dr. Carrow. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/erximplementationteleconference. - A National Web Conference on Utilizing Health IT to Improve Medication Management for the Care of Elderly Patients
On August 18, 2011, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on health IT and medication management for elderly patients featuring Dr. Lapane and Dr. Gurwitz. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/elderlymedmgmtteleconference. - A National Web Conference on Using Health IT for Chronic Disease Management
On June 21, 2011, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on using health IT to improve chronic disease management featuring Dr. Fricton and Ms. Kopal. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/chronicdiseasemgmtteleconference. - A National Web Conference on Quality Metrics and Measurement On April 28, 2011, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on quality metrics and measurement featuring Dr. Baker. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/qualitymetricsandmeasurmentteleconference.
- A National Web Conference on Health IT and Underserved Populations
On August 27, 2010, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on health IT and underserved populations featuring Dr. Gorman. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/underservedpatientsteleconference. - A National Web Conference on Health IT and Safety
On July 23, 2010, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on health IT and safety featuring Dr. Johnson. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/safetyteleconference. - A National Web Conference on E-Prescribing and Medication Management: Current Realities and Future Directions
On August 27, 2009, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on e-prescribing and medication management featuring Dr. Carrow and Dr. Fischer. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/erxandmedmgmtteleconference.
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Available below are links to a summary report, success stories in written and video format, and Web conferences that highlight key findings and lessons learned from the experiences of 16 projects that were awarded under AHRQ's Enabling Patient-Centered Care Through Health IT (PCC) grant initiative.
Findings From the Enabling Patient-Centered Care Through Health IT Projects
Findings and Lessons From the Enabling Patient-Centered Care Through Health IT Grant Initiative (PDF, 1.41 MB).
Highlights From Successful Enabling Patient-Centered Care Through Health IT Projects
The Personal Health Partner: Using Health Information Technology to Promote Better Pediatric Primary Care (PDF, 186.79 KB)
Principal Investigator: William Adams (Grant No. R18 HS017248)
The Personal Health Partner, a telephony-based system that interfaces with the provider's electronic health record system, uses interactive voice response technology to converse with parents before a visit and helps providers tailor the well-child visit to the specific needs of a child and family.
Patients Take a Bite of Prevention Apple With Web-based Interactive Personal Health Records (PDF, 5.58 MB)
Principal Investigator: Alexander Krist (Grant No. R18 HS017046)
Interactive Preventive Health Record improves patient outcomes in the delivery of preventive services.
Individualized, Multi-Media Materials in Spanish and English Help Seniors Manage Medications and Communicate With Clinician Team (PDF, 600 KB)
Principal Investigator: Kate L. Lapane (Grant No. R18 HS017281)
The development of DVD segments on topics such as insomnia, depression, heart failure, and diabetes show promise as a way to help older adults address medication health care challenges.
For more information, please access this video (10 min., 29 sec.)
My Wellness Portal Enhances Patient-Centered Preventive Care (PDF, 173 KB)
Principal Investigator: James W. Mold (Grant No. R18 HS017188)
My Wellness Portal - a patient-centered, prevention oriented, Web-based personal health record - can help improve patient-centered care, increase the delivery of individualized recommended preventive services, and increase clinician knowledge of patients' medical histories.
For more information, please access this video (6 min.)
National Web Conferences Featuring Enabling Patient-Centered Care Through Health IT Projects
- A National Web Conference on Practical Models to Improve Patient-Clinician Communication Using Health IT
On December 18, 2012, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on practical models to improve patient-clinical communication using health IT featuring Dr. William Adams, Ms. Elizabeth Hahn, and Dr. Michael Wolf. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/patientcliniciancommunicationteleconference. - A National Web Conference on the Evaluation of Personal Health Record (PHR) Systems and Their Impact on Chronic Disease
On January 25, 2012, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on the evaluation of PHR systems and their impact on chronic disease featuring Drs. Carl Stepnowsky and Peggy Wagner. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/phrevaluationteleconference. - A National Web Conference on Utilizing Health IT to Improve Medication Management for the Care of Elderly Patients
On August 18, 2011, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on utilizing health IT to improve medication management for the care of elderly patients featuring Dr. Kate Lapane. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/medicationmanagementforelderlyteleconference. - A National Web Conference on Putting the Patient Back in Patient-Centered Care
On March 30, 2011, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on putting the patient back in patient-centered care featuring Drs. Elizabeth Chrischilles and Paul Tang. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/patientcenteredcareteleconference. - A National Web Conference on Patient Empowerment
On April 8, 2010, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference featuring Dr. Alexander Krist on patient empowerment. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/patientempowermentteleconference. - A National Web Conference on Transitions in Care
On February 24, 2010, AHRQ hosted a national Web conference on transitions in care featuring Dr. Brian Jack. To access materials from the Web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/transitionsincareteleconference.
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Available below are links to a summary report, success stories in both written and video format, and a Web conference that highlight key findings and lessons learned from the experiences of 17 organizations that received grant funding from AHRQ's Enabling Quality Measurement Through Health IT (EQM) grant initiative.
Findings From the Enabling Quality Measurement Through Health IT Projects
Findings and Lessons From the Enabling Quality Measurement Through Health IT Grant Initiative (PDF, 2.19 MB).
Highlights From Successful Enabling Quality Measurement Through Health IT Projects
Developing and Testing Quality Measures for Interoperable Electronic Health Records (PDF, 570 KB)
Principal Investigator: Rainu Kaushal
The story features the four-part process that began in 2007 by Dr. Rainu Kaushal and her team (Grant No. R18 HS017067) to generate and test the reliability of prioritized quality measures from the ambulatory setting. Fifteen of these measures were subsequently included in Meaningful Use 1 of the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs.
For more information, please access this video (6 min., 51 sec.)
Using Electronic Health Records to Measure and Improve Quality for Colonoscopy Procedures (PDF, 553 KB)
Principal Investigator: Judith Logan
This story highlights the innovative approach of Dr. Judith Logan and colleagues (Grant No. R18 HS017067) - using electronic health records to generate for clinicians' use interactive, Web-based quality reports about colonoscopies.
For more information, please access this video (7 min., 26 sec.)
Measuring Quality in Physicians' Practices in Southwestern Missouri Using an electronic Health Record (PDF, 173 KB)
Principal Investigator: Denni McColm
This story highlights the demonstrated improvements in efficiency and accuracy of quality of care measures through data capture and automated coding of patient data within ambulatory electronic healthcare record (EHR) compared to manual coding of those data.
National Web Conference Featuring Enabling Quality Measurement Through Health IT Projects
- A National Web Conference on the Use of Natural Language Processing (NLP) to Improve Quality Measurement
This AHRQ National Web Conference featured two EQM grantees, Drs. Brian Hazlehurst and Alexander Turchin, and was held on April 11, 2012. To access materials from the web conference, go to: http://healthit.ahrq.gov/nlp-eqmwebinar.
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