Grants available to improve patient safety - Brief Article

AORN Journal, Jan, 2004

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) will award up to $41 million to fund 100 new implementation grants to plan, implement, and demonstrate the value of health information technology to improve patient safety and quality of care, according to a Nov 21, 2003, news release from AHRQ. Under the first request for applications, the agency will award up to $24 million to fund as many as 48 new implementation grants.

The grant program, "Transforming Healthcare Through Information Technology", includes grants for planning and implementing health information technology in communities as well as grants to examine its value. The awards, which will support more than 100 new research and demonstration projects, will comprise the core of AHRQ's health information technology portfolio.

Applications will be accepted from

* public and private nonprofit organizations, including hospitals, clinics, and universities;

* faith-based organizations;

* for-profit organizations (for implementation grants only); and

* state and Local government agencies throughout the United States.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality will provide up to 50% of the total costs in matching funds--not to exceed $500,000 per year--for each project. Up to $14 million will go to small and rural hospitals and communities. The request for applications stresses the importance of community partnerships.

Letters of intent are due Feb 22, 2004, and applications are due April 22, 2004. For more information, refer to the NIH Guide at http://gronts.nih.gov/grents/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HS-04-011.html.> AHRQ to Support Health Information Technology Projects to Improve Patient Safety and Quality of Care (news release, Rockville, Md: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Nov 21, 2003) http://www.ahrq.gov/news/press /pr2003/hitprojpr.htm (accessed 8 Dec 2003).