82 FR 3796 - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 8 (January 12, 2017)

Page Range		3796-3797
FR Document		2017-00548

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is seeking information from healthcare delivery organizations about current challenges they are facing and solutions they are implementing as they seek to become learning healthcare systems. AHRQ is also seeking to identify opportunities such organizations see for the Agency to assist them in this work--for example by summarizing best practices, creating training materials, developing standardized metrics, and/or convening learning networks.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3796-3797]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00548]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

    Request for Information--Learning Healthcare Systems
AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HHS.

ACTION: Request for Information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is 
seeking information from healthcare delivery organizations about 
current challenges they are facing and solutions they are implementing 
as they seek to become learning healthcare systems. AHRQ is also 
seeking to identify opportunities such organizations see for the Agency 
to assist them in this work--for example by summarizing best practices, 
creating training materials, developing standardized metrics, and/or 
convening learning networks.

DATES: Submission deadline on or before February 28, 2017.

ADDRESSES:
    Email submissions: [email protected].
    Mailing Address: Learning Healthcare Systems, Office of the 
Director, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brigid Russell, Office of the 
Director, [email protected], 301-427-1886.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The mission of the Agency for Healthcare 
Research and Quality (AHRQ) is to produce evidence to make health care 
safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable, and affordable, and 
to work within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and 
with other public and private partners to make sure that the evidence 
is understood and used. The Agency strives to meet this mission by 
investing in research and generating needed evidence that supports 
disseminating tested practices, creating materials to teach and train 
health care systems and professionals to catalyze improvements in care, 
and developing measures and data used to track and improve performance. 
To learn more about the Agency, visit AHRQ.gov.
    The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of 
Medicine or IOM) has described a learning healthcare system as an 
organization that ``is designed to generate and apply the best evidence 
for the collaborative healthcare choices of each patient and provider; 
to drive the process of discovery as a natural outgrowth of patient 
care; and to ensure innovation, quality, safety, and value in health 
care.'' \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Institute of Medicine/National Academy of Medicine. The 
Learning Healthcare System: Workshop Summary. Olsen L, Aisner D, 
McGinnis JM, eds. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2007.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Several trends within healthcare delivery are increasing the 
potential for the development of learning healthcare systems including 
the consolidation of ambulatory, in-patient, and post-acute care 
settings of care into integrated delivery systems, the evolution of 
health information systems, and increased attention to population 
health management. AHRQ is interested in understanding how healthcare 
professionals and organizations in the United States are currently 
working to become learning healthcare systems and in identifying high-
leverage opportunities for the Agency to support this transformation.
    Healthcare delivery organizations, both small and large, can 
function as learning healthcare systems, systematically gathering and 
creating evidence and applying the most promising evidence-based 
practices to improve their care delivery. AHRQ wants to better 
understand the process by which organizations and professionals select 
evidence to implement and the strategies used to move evidence into 
everyday practice. AHRQ is interested in hearing from the full range of 
healthcare delivery organizations including individual ambulatory 
practices, community health center networks, hospitals, individual 
components (such as departments) within larger organizations, networks 
of practices, accountable care organizations, and integrated delivery 
systems.
    Specific questions of interest to the Agency include, but are not 
limited to:
     How are learning healthcare systems utilizing their own 
data to inform clinical and organizational improvements in healthcare 
delivery, design, and efficiency?
     Are learning healthcare systems using their own data to 
inform strategies to address population health and healthcare 
disparities?
     What methodological and/or data quality issues have been 
encountered by the health care delivery organizations in generating 
evidence utilizing their own data?
     How do learning healthcare systems ensure that evidence 
either generated from their own data and/or adopted from external 
research is applied in a

[[Page 3797]]

consistent manner throughout the organization, including across 
different specialties, levels of care, and clinical sites?
     What metrics are learning healthcare systems utilizing to:
     Understand the degree to which they are functioning as a 
system?
     Monitor progress on their rate of moving clinical evidence 
into practice?
     Evaluate the consistency of application of evidence across 
the organization?
     How do these metrics relate to health care delivery 
organization goal setting, individual employee performance review and 
internal compensation linked to performance?
     How are learning healthcare systems involving patients and 
families in their efforts?
     What evidence, tools, training, methods, data, or measures 
could AHRQ develop or provide that would have a significant impact on 
the ability of health care delivery organizations to utilize their own 
data, use externally produced data and evidence, and meet their own 
quality and safety goals?
    AHRQ will use the information it receives to assist in developing 
future initiatives. These initiatives may include but are not limited 
to developing research grant opportunities to advance this field, 
investing in the creation of tools and training materials for health 
professionals and healthcare delivery organizations, the development of 
quality improvement measures, and/or convening learning collaboratives 
focused on accelerating the development of learning healthcare system 
capabilities within healthcare delivery organizations.
    Healthcare professionals and organizations are encouraged to 
respond to this RFI by submitting materials to the email address listed 
above by February 28, 2017. While AHRQ is interested in all of the 
specific questions listed above, respondents are welcome to include 
answers to as many or few as they choose as well as addressing 
additional areas of interest not listed. AHRQ encourages respondents to 
include a description of their healthcare delivery organization at the 
beginning of their response to provide context for the information they 
provide. Respondents are also encouraged to share supporting materials, 
such as charters for quality and safety improvement committees, data 
use agreements for learning collaboratives, population health metrics 
and reports, or guidelines for the use of evidence-based practices, 
that they believe will help the Agency better understand how they are 
working to become learning healthcare systems.
    This RFI is for planning purposes only and should not be construed 
as a policy, solicitation for applications, or as an obligation on the 
part of the Government to provide support for any ideas identified in 
response to it. AHRQ will use the information submitted in response to 
this RFI at its discretion and will not provide comments to any 
responder's submission. However, responses to the RFI may be reflected 
in future solicitation(s). The information provided will be analyzed 
and may appear in reports. Respondents will not be identified in any 
published reports. Respondents are advised that the Government is under 
no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or 
provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information 
submitted. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive 
information should be included in your response. The Government 
reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in 
any resultant solicitation(s).

Andrew B. Bindman,
Director.
[FR Doc. 2017-00548 Filed 1-11-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P

3796 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 8 / Thursday, January 12, 2017 / Notices

1800 F Street NW., Washington, DC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND provider; to drive the process of
20405, telephone 202–501–4755. HUMAN SERVICES discovery as a natural outgrowth of
Please cite OMB Control No. 3090– patient care; and to ensure innovation,
00XX, Alliant2 Greenhouse Gas Agency for Healthcare Research and quality, safety, and value in health
Disclosure, in all correspondence. Quality care.’’ 1
Several trends within healthcare
Dated: January 4, 2017. Request for Information—Learning delivery are increasing the potential for
David A. Shive, Healthcare Systems the development of learning healthcare
Chief Information Officer. AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research
systems including the consolidation of
[FR Doc. 2017–00483 Filed 1–11–17; 8:45 am]
and Quality (AHRQ), HHS. ambulatory, in-patient, and post-acute
BILLING CODE 6820–34–P
ACTION: Request for Information. care settings of care into integrated
delivery systems, the evolution of health
SUMMARY: The Agency for Healthcare
information systems, and increased
Research and Quality (AHRQ) is seeking
attention to population health
information from healthcare delivery
GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY management. AHRQ is interested in
organizations about current challenges understanding how healthcare
OFFICE
they are facing and solutions they are professionals and organizations in the
Request for Medicaid and CHIP implementing as they seek to become United States are currently working to
Payment and Access Commission learning healthcare systems. AHRQ is become learning healthcare systems and
Nominations also seeking to identify opportunities in identifying high-leverage
such organizations see for the Agency to opportunities for the Agency to support
AGENCY:U.S. Government assist them in this work—for example this transformation.
Accountability Office (GAO). by summarizing best practices, creating Healthcare delivery organizations,
training materials, developing both small and large, can function as
ACTION:Request for letters of standardized metrics, and/or convening
nomination and resumes. learning healthcare systems,
learning networks. systematically gathering and creating
SUMMARY: The Children’s Health DATES: Submission deadline on or evidence and applying the most
Insurance Program Reauthorization Act before February 28, 2017. promising evidence-based practices to
of 2009 (CHIPRA) established the ADDRESSES: improve their care delivery. AHRQ
Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Email submissions: wants to better understand the process
Access Commission (MACPAC) to LearningHealthSystem@AHRQ.hhs.gov. by which organizations and
review Medicaid and CHIP access and Mailing Address: Learning Healthcare professionals select evidence to
payment policies and to advise Congress Systems, Office of the Director, Agency implement and the strategies used to
on issues affecting Medicaid and CHIP. for Healthcare Research and Quality, move evidence into everyday practice.
CHIPRA gave the Comptroller General 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD AHRQ is interested in hearing from the
of the United States responsibility for 20857. full range of healthcare delivery
appointing MACPAC’s members. GAO organizations including individual
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
is now accepting nominations to ambulatory practices, community health
Brigid Russell, Office of the Director, center networks, hospitals, individual
MACPAC that will be effective May 1, LearningHealthSystem@AHRQ.hhs.gov,
2017. Letters of nomination and components (such as departments)
301–427–1886. within larger organizations, networks of
resumes should be submitted no later SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
than February 24, 2017 to ensure practices, accountable care
mission of the Agency for Healthcare organizations, and integrated delivery
adequate opportunity for review and Research and Quality (AHRQ) is to
consideration of nominees prior to systems.
produce evidence to make health care Specific questions of interest to the
appointment of new members. safer, higher quality, more accessible, Agency include, but are not limited to:
Nominations should be sent to the email equitable, and affordable, and to work • How are learning healthcare
or mailing address listed below. within the U.S. Department of Health systems utilizing their own data to
Acknowledgement of submissions will and Human Services and with other inform clinical and organizational
be provided within a week of public and private partners to make sure improvements in healthcare delivery,
submission. Please contact Will Black at that the evidence is understood and design, and efficiency?
(202) 512–6482 if you do not receive an used. The Agency strives to meet this • Are learning healthcare systems
acknowledgement. mission by investing in research and using their own data to inform strategies
ADDRESSES: generating needed evidence that to address population health and
Email: MACPACappointments@ supports disseminating tested practices, healthcare disparities?
gao.gov. creating materials to teach and train • What methodological and/or data
health care systems and professionals to quality issues have been encountered by
Mail: U.S. GAO, Attn: MACPAC the health care delivery organizations in
catalyze improvements in care, and
Appointments, 441 G Street NW., generating evidence utilizing their own
developing measures and data used to
Washington, DC 20548. data?
track and improve performance. To
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: learn more about the Agency, visit • How do learning healthcare systems
AHRQ.gov. ensure that evidence either generated
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

GAO: Office of Public Affairs, (202)
512–4800. Public Law 111–3, Section The National Academy of Medicine from their own data and/or adopted
506; 42 U.S.C. 1396. (formerly the Institute of Medicine or from external research is applied in a
IOM) has described a learning
Gene L. Dodaro, healthcare system as an organization 1 Institute of Medicine/National Academy of

Comptroller General of the United States. Medicine. The Learning Healthcare System:
that ‘‘is designed to generate and apply Workshop Summary. Olsen L, Aisner D, McGinnis
[FR Doc. 2017–00044 Filed 1–11–17; 8:45 am] the best evidence for the collaborative JM, eds. Washington, DC: National Academies
BILLING CODE 1610–02–M healthcare choices of each patient and Press; 2007.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:28 Jan 11, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00081 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\12JAN1.SGM 12JAN1

Document Created: 2017-03-21 14:40:49
Document Modified: 2017-03-21 14:40:49

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Request for Information.
Dates		Submission deadline on or before February 28, 2017.
Contact		Brigid Russell, Office of the Director, [email protected], 301-427-1886.
FR Citation		82 FR 3796