The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has long been a cornerstone of the U.S. healthcare landscape, driving research to improve healthcare safety, quality, and delivery. Yet, as the healthcare system faces new challenges, AHRQ must evolve to ensure its research translates into real-world improvements. By reforming its operations to focus more on dissemination, including accredited continuing education (CE), and aligning with the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, AHRQ can maximize its impact on public health and healthcare delivery.
The Need for Reform
AHRQ’s funding and operational strategies have faced criticism for several reasons:
- Funding Disparities: Analysis of AHRQ grants shows significant disparities, with some states like Mississippi, Vermont, and Nevada receiving little or no funding. Meanwhile, elite academic institutions in states like California, Massachusetts, and New York dominate funding allocations.
- Underutilization of CE: Government funding accounts for less than 2% of the total funding for CE/CME, despite its proven role in motivating healthcare professionals to adopt evidence-based practices.
- Complex Funding Processes: AHRQ’s grant application and reporting requirements are complex, favoring large academic institutions and sidelining smaller healthcare providers and community organizations.
- Insufficient Dissemination: AHRQ has not fully leveraged modern dissemination tools to ensure its research reaches healthcare professionals in practical, actionable formats.
AHRQ’s Role in the “Make America Healthy Again” Agenda
The “Make America Healthy Again” agenda prioritizes chronic conditions and prevention making healthcare accessible, affordable, and effective for all Americans. AHRQ is uniquely positioned to support this mission through its core strengths:
- Expanding Primary Care Access: By funding additional research on team-based and patient-centered care models.
- Reducing Costs: Providing data-driven policy insights to address inefficiencies and promote value-based care.
- Enhancing Health for At Risk Communities: Targeting health gaps and funding research in underserved regions.
- Improving Patient Safety: Advancing tools and frameworks to reduce medical errors and improve care transitions.
However, AHRQ’s potential to influence these priorities remains underutilized without a greater focus on dissemination.
Proposed Reforms for AHRQ
To better serve its mission and align with national health priorities, AHRQ should reform its approach in several key areas:
- Increase Funding for Dissemination and Continuing Education
Accredited continuing education is a powerful tool for translating research into practice, yet AHRQ dedicates minimal resources to this area. By expanding funding for CE programs, AHRQ can:
- Address critical topics such as diagnostic accuracy, patient safety, and chronic disease management.
- Incentivize participation through Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credits and other credit incentives.
- Collaborate with ACCME/ACPE/AAN and other accredited providers to design high-quality, impactful educational programs.
- Simplify Grant Processes and Broaden Access
To ensure more equitable funding distribution:
- Simplify grant application and reporting processes to make them accessible to smaller institutions.
- Introduce regional funding allocations to guarantee every state receives adequate support for healthcare research.
- Develop training programs to help community organizations and rural providers successfully apply for grants.
- Prioritize States with Minimal Funding
AHRQ must address the funding disparities that leave states like Maine, Louisiana, West Virginia, and Mississippi with little to no research support. These regions face unique healthcare challenges that require targeted research and resources.
- Expand the Use of Digital Platforms for Dissemination
Modernize dissemination efforts by:
- Developing online CE modules, webinars, and mobile apps that integrate AHRQ resources.
- Supporting telehealth innovations and digital health tools to reach rural and underserved areas.
- Promoting learning health systems to accelerate real-time application of evidence-based practices.
- Leverage Public-Private Partnerships
AHRQ can expand its reach and resources by partnering with private-sector organizations to co-fund dissemination efforts, ensuring compliance with ACCME’s standards for commercial support to maintain educational integrity.
- Align Research with National Health Priorities
AHRQ’s research and dissemination should focus on:
- Reducing healthcare costs through value-based care models.
- Advancing at risk communities by studying and addressing social determinants of health. Including access to healthy diets, exercise, and family resources.
- Preparing for public health emergencies by strengthening long-term care and infection control.
- Showcase Impact and Advocate for Increased Funding for Healthy Living Projects
AHRQ must demonstrate the value of its investments by:
- Tracking and publicizing the outcomes of its research through funded CE and dissemination programs.
- Adjusting its budget to support its expanded focus on dissemination and adoption.
Conclusion
Reforming AHRQ to focus on dissemination, particularly through accredited CE, and aligning its efforts with the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda can significantly enhance the agency’s impact. By addressing funding disparities, simplifying processes, and leveraging modern tools, AHRQ can ensure its research reaches the frontline of healthcare delivery. These changes will empower healthcare professionals to adopt evidence-based practices, improve patient outcomes, and make strides toward a healthier America.
AHRQ has the tools, expertise, and opportunity to lead this transformation. The new administration offers a unique opportunity to translate government research so practicing healthcare providers adopt best practices.
Thomas Sullivan is Editor or Policy and Medicine, Senior Vice President at Continuing Education Alliance and founder of the CME Coalition, views expressed in this editorial represent his personal views.