Online Performance Appendix: Agency Support for HHS Strategic Plan
Budget Estimates for Appropriations Committees, Fiscal Year 2010
| HHS Strategic Goals | Safety/Quality—Reduce the risk of harm from health care services by promoting the delivery of appropriate care that achieves the best quality outcome. | Efficiency—Achieve wider access to effective health care service and reduce health care costs. | Effectiveness—Assure that providers and consumers/patients use beneficial and timely health care information to make informed decisions/choices. | Organizational Excellence—Develop efficient and responsive business practices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1: Health Care. Improve the safety, quality, affordability and accessibility of health care, including behavioral health care and long-term care. | ||||
| 1.1 Broaden health insurance and long-term care coverage. | ||||
| 1.2 Increase health care service availability and accessibility. | x | |||
| 1.3 Improve health care quality, safety, cost, and value. | x | x | x | |
| 1.4 Recruit, develop and retain a competent health care workforce. | x | x | ||
| 2: Public Health Promotion and Protection, Disease Prevention, and Emergency Preparedness. Prevent and control disease, injury, illness and disability across the lifespan, and protect the public from infectious, occupational, environmental and terrorist threats. | ||||
| 2.1 Prevent the spread of infectious diseases. | ||||
| 2.2 Protect the public against injuries and environmental threats. | ||||
| 2.3 Promote and encourage preventive health care, including mental health, lifelong healthy behaviors and recovery. | x | |||
| 2.4 Prepare for and respond to natural and man-made disasters. | ||||
| 3: Human Services. Promote the economic and social well-being of individuals, families and communities. | ||||
| 3.1 Promote the economic independence and social well-being of individuals and families across the lifespan. | ||||
| 3.2 Protect the safety and foster the well-being of children and youth. | ||||
| 3.3 Encourage the development of strong, healthy and supportive communities. | ||||
| 3.4 Address the needs, strengths and abilities of vulnerable populations. | ||||
| 4: Scientific Research and Development. Advance scientific and biomedical research and development related to health and human services | ||||
| 4.1 Strengthen the pool of qualified health and behavioral science researchers. | x | |||
| 4.2 Increase basic scientific knowledge to improve human health and development. | ||||
| 4.3 Conduct and oversee applied research to improve health and well-being. | x | x | ||
| 4.4 Communicate and transfer research results into clinical, public health and human service practice. | x | x |
Summary of Findings and Recommendations from Completed Program Evaluations
Prevention and Care Management
Evaluation of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations for Clinical Preventive Services
AHRQ contracted with NORC (a national organization for research) at the University of Chicago to determine how U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations are integrated into health plans and how to improve dissemination of these recommendations. The USPSTF is an independent panel of experts in primary care and prevention that systematically review the evidence of effectiveness and develop recommendations for clinical preventive services. This study used three separate but interrelated phases: (1) literature review and evaluation design of published and unpublished literature; (2) semi-structured phone and in-person interviews; and, (3) analysis of key crosscutting themes related to the adoption, integration, and delivery of the USPSTF recommendations in health plans.
In February 2007, the study reported that USPSTF recommendations are integrated in health plans through: (1) printed publications, such as health plan provider manuals on clinical preventive services and other publications; (2) electronic use of health IT tools, such as EMRs, clinical reminders, and order sets for clinicians; and (3) incorporation into the plan's patient health education materials that are distributed to the member population.
Suggestions for improving dissemination of the recommendations included: (1) developing new prevention tools designed for nurses delivering counseling recommendations; (2) disseminating more information about the USPSTF methodology to certain members of the health plan staff; and (3) AHRQ staff attending provider professional meetings and presenting on a few of the Task Force recommendations.
Further detail on the findings and recommendations of the program evaluations completed during the fiscal year can be found at https://www.ahrq.gov/about/evaluations/uspstf.
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