About AHRQ

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is the federal agency charged with improving the quality and safety of healthcare delivery.

The agency develops and disseminates scientific evidence, tools, and data to help patients and their families, healthcare professionals, and policymakers make informed decisions. AHRQ is a home for health services research and is the nation’s lead federal agency for patient safety research. AHRQ is not a regulatory agency.

AHRQ is one of 12 operating divisions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It was created under the Healthcare Research and Quality Act of 1999. (Access more about AHRQ's history.)

Mission and Core Competencies

AHRQ's mission is to enhance the quality, appropriateness, and effectiveness of health services, and access to such services through the establishment of a broad base of scientific research and through the promotion of improvements in clinical and health system practices, including the prevention of diseases and other health conditions.

The agency pursues its mission by employing three core competencies:

Health Systems Research

AHRQ invests in research that generates evidence and actionable knowledge by funding health services research to understand how care is delivered and how it can be improved.

Practice Improvement

AHRQ moves evidence into practice by developing tools, training, resources, and nonregulatory assistance, leading to strategies to help health systems and clinicians deliver safe, high-quality healthcare.

Data & Analytics

AHRQ data and analyses help healthcare decision makers understand system performance and where opportunities for improvement exist. These resources allow for effective quality measurement and reporting for state and federal policymaking.

AHRQ's Unique Role

AHRQ's unique role in the U.S. health enterprise is threefold:

1. Making 21st century care a reality for all. AHRQ produces evidence and supporting tools that help spread the reach of biomedical research findings to improve healthcare for everyone and assesses the clinical utility of medical interventions to inform national coverage decisions.
2. Focusing on healthcare improvement. AHRQ focuses on improving the care delivered to patients.
3. Disseminating and implementing actionable knowledge. AHRQ draws upon the latest clinical, social, and behavioral science to encourage the adoption and delivery of innovative therapies.

How AHRQ Organizes Its Work

The agency's work is conducted by several offices and centers:

• The Office of the Director oversees the agency's activities.
• The Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement generates new knowledge, synthesizes evidence, translates science on what works in health and healthcare delivery, and catalyzes practice improvement.
• The Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends conducts, supports, and manages studies of the cost and financing of healthcare, access to healthcare services, and related trends and develops data sets.
• The Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety develops research and implementation tools to improve the quality and safety of the healthcare system.
• The Office of Communications develops, implements, and manages programs for communicating and disseminating the results of agency activities.
• The Office of Extramural Research, Education and Priority Populations directs scientific review for grants and contracts, manages research training programs, evaluates the scientific contribution of research and demonstrations, and supports and conducts health services research on priority populations.
• The Office of Management Services directs and coordinates the agency's administrative services and operational activities.

Real-World Impact

AHRQ's evidence-based tools and resources are used by organizations nationwide to improve the quality, safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of healthcare. Access AHRQ's impact case studies to learn more about how AHRQ's products have advanced American healthcare. Access AHRQ's grantee profiles to learn more about the research, training, and career development grant awards that have helped emerging health services researchers understand, improve, and share knowledge about how healthcare is delivered in the United States.

In its role as the lead federal agency for patient safety research, AHRQ has, on behalf of HHS, established the National Action Alliance for Patient and Workforce Safety. The National Action Alliance is a partnership between HHS and its federal agencies and private stakeholders interested in recommitting our nation to move toward zero harm in healthcare.

Current Priorities

As the federal agency charged with improving the safety and quality of America’s healthcare system, AHRQ remains steadfastly oriented toward a quality agenda. AHRQ defines quality healthcare as care that is safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and patient centered.

Because healthcare changes rapidly, AHRQ's agile research agenda responds to new opportunities for improving care. AHRQ’s current priorities are listed on the Notice of Funding Opportunities page.

Engage With AHRQ

Want to learn more about the agency?

• Subscribe to the weekly AHRQ News Now electronic newsletter.
• Follow us on social media, including X, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
• Access AHRQ Views blog posts.

Researchers interested in funding opportunities should visit AHRQ's Notice of Funding Opportunities page to learn about requests for applications and program announcements, both of which are published in the National Institutes of Health Guide for Grants and Contracts. Access AHRQ's Research Priorities and Compliance Guidance for information on grant procedures.