News: Proposed federal budget cuts could bring an end to the current AHRQ

CDI specialists likely know the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) as the proverbial keepers of patient safety indicator (PSI) and hospital acquired condition requirements and reporting—critical components of the shift toward pay-for-performance healthcare reimbursement models and overall quality reporting. However, President Donald Trump’s proposed budget calls for merging the AHRQ with the National Institute of Health (HIM), which itself faces a $5.8 billion budget cut, according to Fierce Healthcare.

According to those in favor of the consolidation, the AHRQ’s purpose is redundant and the new budget corrects the issue and improves efficiency.

Those in support of the AHRQ’s existence, however, believed the proposal is short-sighted, according to Fierce Healthcare. The AHRQ identifies strategies to reduce medical errors and hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) and evaluates the effectiveness of healthcare practices based on evidence-based research. Without the AHRQ, its supporters fear a lack of oversight ensuring the quality of healthcare nationwide.