About AHRQ's Quality & Patient Safety Work

AHRQ is the lead federal agency for patient safety research. We invest in research and implementation projects that make care safer by bridging the gap between basic and clinical research and the actual health care that reaches patients. Our projects accelerate learning and innovation in health care delivery, which helps to speed the uptake of proven practices at the bedside. We also develop research-based tools and resources to help front line clinicians understand "what" to do to make care safer and "how" to go about it. These tools and resources are developed for clinicians by clinicians, so they are practical and based on real-world experiences.

The AHRQ Patient Safety Research program is conducted through the Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (CQuIPS). CQuIPS is charged with:

• Conducting and supporting research on safety, quality, and value in healthcare, responding to the needs of patients, families, and the broader healthcare community. 
• Developing and disseminating tools, data, and other resources to support healthcare safety, quality, and value. 
• Collaborating with stakeholders across the healthcare community to implement evidence-based practices in support of healthcare safety, quality, and value. 
• Measuring and assessing healthcare safety, quality, and value to support continuous learning and improvement.

The following AHRQ Programs are based in CQuIPS:

• Patient Safety Research Program.
• Healthcare-Associated Infections Program.
• The Patient Safety Organization Program.
• The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Program.
• Surveys on Patient Safety Culture Program.
• Quality Indictors Program. 
• Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. 
• National Action Alliance for Patient and Workforce Safety.

To learn about AHRQ's patient safety work, connect with Craig Umscheid, M.D., M.S., director of CQuIPS.

Stories of Impact From the Field

• Read Impact Case Studies to see how clinicians in the field are using the results of AHRQ's patient safety investments.
• Find out how three organizations created positive impacts using AHRQ patient safety tools and won awards in our Challenge Competition.

Find out what funding opportunities are available from AHRQ to do patient safety research.