AHRQ is offering funding that could help local governments transform health care delivery and address disparities in underserved communities.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to establish state-based Healthcare Extension Cooperatives. The initiative aims to speed up patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) in health care. It focuses on improving local health care policies, payments, and practices while reducing disparities for underserved populations and Medicaid recipients. Local governments have an opportunity to secure funding that directly addresses local health care challenges while improving public health outcomes and reducing long-term costs.
AHRQ Director Dr. Robert Valdez highlights how all health care is local. This investment aims to decrease local barriers, tackle pressing health care challenges, and enhance care by speeding up the adoption of scientific advancements into everyday practice.
From the press release:
“Every American should be able to get the care they need – and every hospital and health facility should have the best available tools to do the job. By supporting states and local health care systems with the best data and research, we can achieve better health outcomes and advance health equity,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.
AHRQ plans to award up to 15 grants over five years. Two additional funding announcements will follow: one for a National Coordinating Center to guide and support Cooperatives and another for a National Evaluation Center to assess the initiative’s impact and equity. These efforts aim to speed up the integration of scientific innovation into routine clinical practice.
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund funds this initiative, aligning with AHRQ’s mission to improve patient care quality, safety, and value. Applications are open until December 12, 2024.
More details can be found on the AHRQ website and Grants.gov.
