Promoting the dissemination and adoption of medical practice guidelines, clinical research findings and health services research data- related products are under the purview of AHRQ. This proposal from the National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC) envisions a series of conferences and workshops on the general topic of health care quality improvement. The grant would provide partial funding for an initiative called Accelerating Change Today (ACT) - For America's Health. The NHCC would bring together, from amongst its impressive and broadly representative member organizations, a group of influential stakeholders to be educated about quality improvement by experts from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. The eminent experts like, Lucian Leape and Joanne Lynn would prepare targeted materials for different audiences and then appear at a variety of meetings (six each per year) ranging from large annual organization meetings (e.g., American Association of Family Practitioners) or smaller local group meetings ( e.g., Mid West Business Group on Health). One or more of four major quality improvement themes will be addressed at these meetings: Medical Errors; Improving care at the end of life; Improving cardiac surgery outcomes; or, Improving care of patients with multiple chronic diseases. Each audience will be expected to exert its influence to promote best practices and evidence-based medicine.
