AHRQ Customer Service Standards

The following standards express the specific commitments of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to provide the best service to our various constituencies through our health services research and dissemination programs.

For an overview of our agency's mission, please select About AHRQ.

Publications Clearinghouse

AHRQ operates a Publications Clearinghouse to meet the ever-increasing demand for its publications, the AHRQ Publications Online Store, and general information about the agency and its programs. The Clearinghouse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Phone Requests

• In the United States, call the toll-free number: 800-358-9295.
• Hearing impaired persons may call 888-586-6340 for the TDD service.
• Outside of the United States only, callers should use the telephone number 703-437-2078.

Phone Inquiries Standards

• Your telephone call will be answered promptly during core working hours, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time.
• After hours, your call will be received by an automated system and will be processed within 5 working days.
• Specialists are available to Spanish-speaking callers.

The specialist who handles your telephone call will:

• Be courteous and helpful.
• Listen carefully to your request.
• Provide you with the most up-to-date information available.
• Attempt to locate the source and notify you by telephone, mail, or fax if the information is not readily available.
• Attempt to refer you to the appropriate place if your call needs to be addressed by another agency, state office, or local program.

Email Requests

• Electronic requests may be made to: AHRQPubs@ahrq.hhs.gov.

Mail Requests

• Write to:

AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 8547
Silver Spring, MD 20907-8547

Response Time

• Your request will be processed within 5 working days of receipt for materials in stock that do not require special attention. 
• Those materials that do require special attention may require an additional 5 working days to respond.

Dissemination Program Standards

• Publications will be written in a clear and informative manner, using plain English for consumer materials.
  • Patients and Consumers
  • Publications and Products
    • Ordering Information for AHRQ Publications
  • Topic: Publications
• Spanish translations of consumer materials will be provided.
  • Información en español
  • Topic: Noticias en español
• We will strive to make information available through additional channels, including electronic media, and intermediaries such as community organizations and libraries.
• We will evaluate and refine products, services, delivery mechanisms, and customer service based on feedback from users and input from potential users.