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Article Excerpt
Some would say that the beginning of wisdom in health services research is the realization that what cannot be measured cannot be changed. Until recently, we lacked a single, accessible source of national longitudinal data on health care quality and disparities related to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Along with the rest of the health services research community, we at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) knew all too well the frustrations and limitations on research caused by the lack of such data.
Since the release of AHRQs first National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR) and National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) in December 2003, AHRQ has been working to resolve this dilemma. I have discussed these reports in previous commentaries in this journal, and I am proud to report that with the 2005 annual reports, which we released in January 2006, we now have at least 3 years of trend data on measures of both overall quality and specific disparities, such as those related to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
With the publication of the most recent reports, we have the data for some much needed research. I would like to note that reports are the result of collaboration among agencies across the Department of Health and Human Services. These reports would not be successful without the contributions made by senior scientists across the Department, especially from the National Center for Health Statistics.
The NHQR and the NHDR are the only reports that track the nation's progress each year in improving health care quality and reducing health care disparities across a broad range of conditions, services, and population groups. They identify nationwide strengths and opportunities for improvement in health care, highlight successes, and suggest where interventions are most needed and would yield the greatest results. While the reports make clear that excellence in health care is being achieved for many, they also reveal significant gaps in health care quality and access, especially for racial and ethnic...
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