Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a governmental agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to support research “to improve the outcomes and quality of health care, reduce its costs, address patient safety and medical errors, and broaden access to effective service.” The agency systematically develops statements and recommendations to help individuals, institutions, and agencies make better decisions about health care based on research that provides evidence-based information. It publishes scientific information for other agencies and organizations on which to base clinical guidelines, performance measures, and other quality-improvement tools through its evidence-based practice centers, outcomes research findings for clinicians, and technology reviews. It provides access to scientific evidence, recommendations on clinical preventive services, and information on how to implement recommended preventive services in clinical practice. Formerly called Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.
