For the 16th year in a row, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has announced its reporting on healthcare quality and disparities. The annual National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report is mandated by Congress to provide a comprehensive overview of the quality of healthcare received by the general U.S. population and disparities in care experienced by different racial and socioeconomic groups.
The report is produced with the help of an Interagency Work Group led by AHRQ.
The National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report assesses the performance of our healthcare system and identifies areas of strengths and weaknesses, as well as disparities, for access to healthcare and quality of healthcare. Quality is described in terms of six priorities:
1. patient safety
2. person-centered care
3. care coordination
4. effective treatment
5. healthy living
6. care affordability
The report is based on more than 250 measures of quality and disparities covering a broad array of healthcare services and settings.
