Frequently Asked Questions

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) ceased to publish guidelines in 1996. Most of the existing guidelines were withdrawn from distribution as out of date in 2000.

The outdated guidelines are archived online at the National Library of Medicine. You can access them via the AHRQ Archive.

Please be aware that the information in these guidelines is no longer considered current for medical practice.

TalkingQuality is a comprehensive resource and guide for organizations that produce and disseminate reports to consumers on the quality of care provided by health care organizations (e.g., hospitals, health plans, medical groups, nursing homes) and individual physicians. The purpose of TalkingQuality is to improve consumer reports on health care quality.

TalkingQuality offers:

• Innovative ideas for communicating complex information on health care quality to consumers.
• Information on the latest research findings.
• Real-world examples to illustrate various approaches and concepts.

For details, go to: https://www.ahrq.gov/talkingquality/.

Yes, AHRQ transitioned from the use of the PHS 398 form to the Standard Form (SF) 424 Research and Related (R&R) for most grant activity codes. Always refer to application instructions included in the Funding Opportunity Announcement to which you are applying to determine the appropriate application form.

No, AHRQ does not currently participate in the modular grant application initiative for any of its grant programs. Applicants should submit a complete, detailed SF424 Research and Related (R&R) application and ignore any/all modular application instructions. Applications submitted to AHRQ in the modular format will be returned to the applicant without review.

AHRQ will not make an award based on an application submitted in the modular format. Before award can take place, information not included in the modular grant format must be submitted to AHRQ. If a modular application submitted to NIH is assigned to AHRQ or is subsequently transferred to AHRQ for funding, you will be contacted by AHRQ grants management staff and informed of what additional materials are needed in order for AHRQ to complete its administrative review of the project and determine if an award will be made.

Generally, when you vacate a slot within a given year of appointment, a new student cannot be appointed to the vacated slot and unused funds are to be reported as unobligated. In exceptional circumstances if the position is vacated early in the appointment year and the program can demonstrate that sufficient funds from the current award year are available to fully-support an additional student, AHRQ will consider a formal, written request from the grantee institution to fill the vacated slot.

As with all prior approval requests, the request is to be endorsed by an an authorized institutional official and submitted to the assigned Grants Management Specialist named on the most recent Notice of Award. Approval is not guaranteed. In order for AHRQ to consider the request, a specific person has to be named to fill the vacated slot, the slot may not be "to-be-named." The newly identified person will initially be appointed for the time remaining to complete the planned program of training. The request must include a statement assuring that the individual will be immediately reappointed in the subsequent year.

Each U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) operating division deals with this issue differently. Generally, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) expects grantees to rebudget to accommodate this type of change within the total amount already awarded, due to AHRQ's limited funding availability. The grantee may submit a formal, written request for additional funds to cover the higher stipend level; however, if NRSA funds for the given Fiscal Year have been exhausted, the request will not be approved.

AHRQ defines a primary care practice-based research network, or PBRN, as a group of ambulatory practices devoted principally to the primary care of patients, and affiliated in their mission to investigate questions related to community-based practice and to improve the quality of primary care. This definition includes a sense of ongoing commitment to network activities and an organizational structure that transcends a single research project. PBRNs often link practicing clinicians with investigators experienced in clinical and health services research, while at the same time enhancing the research skills of the network members.

For more information about PBRNs, go to: https://pbrn.ahrq.gov.

AHRQ cannot diagnose nor give medical advice to individuals on their specific health conditions. For information about medical conditions and treatments, please visit the following websites:

• The National Library of Medicine's MEDLINEplus®.
• healthfinder®.

The following types of activities satisfy payback responsibilities:

• Research. Defined as an activity that involves designing experiments, developing protocols, and collecting and interpreting data. In addition, review of original research or administration of original research that includes providing scientific direction and guidance to research may be acceptable if a doctoral degree and relevant research experience is required. Such research can be conducted in an academic, governmental, commercial, or other environment in either a foreign or domestic setting. In addition, when consistent with the cumulative amount, type, and frequency of research or research training experiences, functions that involve analytic or other technical activities conducted in direct support of research, as defined above, will also satisfy the service payback obligation.
• Teaching. An instructional activity that takes place in an organized educational or other instructional environment. Activities classified as teaching are generally carried out in a formal didactic setting, but other activities will be considered if they are consistent with the certifying institution's policy on the definition of teaching responsibilities. Such teaching can be conducted at universities, professional schools, research institutes, teaching hospitals, primary schools, secondary schools, or colleges. When calculating hours of teaching per week, you may include three hours of preparation time for each hour of direct instruction. Acceptable teaching activities must have a healthcare-related relevance.
• Health-related Activities. Incorporates a broad range of activities related to the description, diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of disease from the most basic biomedical or behavioral research to the most applied or clinical research.