Use of Information Technology to Improve the Quality of Health Care in the United States

Since 1969, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has continued to support research and development in the use of information technology (IT). This article provides a brief overview of IT initiatives sponsored by the Agency. The Clinical Informatics to Promote Patient Safety (CLIPS) portfolio focused on the use of IT to reduce medical errors. The Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program helped small businesses develop innovative technology that will lead to improvements in health care. The Integrated Delivery System Research Network (IDSRN) studied various ways that IT can improve the quality of health care in diverse settings. Additionally, important health care outcomes research is conducted through Primary Care Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRN)s. The Translating Research into Practice (TRIP) program funded projects that help narrow the gap between knowledge and practice to improve the quality of the nation's care. The Agency's bioterrorism efforts have focused on developing evidence-based information to improve heath care quality.