AHRQ posted a Request for Applications (RFA-HS-10-005) using Recovery Act funding to go to five organizations to develop the infrastructure needed to improve data collection in terms of quality, depth, and scale. This is particularly important when obtaining data from electronic clinical databases used to help researchers do comparative effectiveness research. Forty four million is available for this RFA over three years.
The projects will help to systematically collect prospective data on diagnostics, therapeutics, devices, behavioral interventions, and procedures used in clinical care. This will be especially useful when dealing with populations that are under-represented in randomized control clinical trials or have limited access to healthcare or both. This will be especially helpful when dealing with patients with multiple co-morbidities, the elderly, and minorities.
Public or non-profit private institutions are available to apply, along with Native American government and designated organizations.
In addition, AHRQ posted a RFA (RFA-10-006) to fund one organization to form the Electronic Data Methods (EDM) Forum where investigators, practicing clinicians, representatives from relevant organizations and other stakeholders will be able to gather to hear experts talk about clinical registries, research methods, health information technology, and outcomes research.
The EDM Forum will present a series of meetings and workshops to help researchers conducting effectiveness research using electronic data understand the necessary technical, organizational, clinical, legal, and ethical issues related to compliance with HIPAA. A total of $4 million is available for this RFA.
For information on both RFAs due January 20, 2010, go to www.grants.gov or to www.ahrq.gov.
