Notice2023-11869
Challenge Competition: Announcement of AHRQ Challenge on the Impact of AHRQ's Patient Safety Tools
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Published
June 5, 2023
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Abstract
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is announcing a challenge competition to better understand how using an AHRQ patient safety tool has resulted in safer care, as evidenced by associated process and/or outcome measures. AHRQ would like to use this information as an example of the type of return on investment an organization might expect when using the tool. This challenge competition will be completed in one phase, with a cash prize awarded to up to 10 winners.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 107 (Monday, June 5, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 107 (Monday, June 5, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36579-36581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11869]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Challenge Competition: Announcement of AHRQ Challenge on the
Impact of AHRQ's Patient Safety Tools
AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is
announcing a challenge competition to better understand how using an
AHRQ patient safety tool has resulted in safer care, as evidenced by
associated process and/or outcome measures. AHRQ would like to use this
information as an example of the type of return on investment an
organization might expect when using the tool. This challenge
competition will be completed in one phase, with a cash prize awarded
to up to 10 winners.
DATES: The submission deadline is October 5, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Submit your responses electronically via: <a href="https://www.challenge.gov/">https://www.challenge.gov/</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Chew, Health Scientist
Administrator, Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8dccc5dfdccee5ece1e1e8e3eae8fecdece5fffca3e5e5fea3eae2fb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b0f1f8e2e1f3d8d1dcdcd5ded7d5c3f0d1d8c2c19ed8d8c39ed7dfc6">[email protected]</span></a>, Telephone: 301-427-
1305.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Problem Statement
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) offers many
practical tools and resources to help a variety of healthcare
organizations, providers, and others make patient care safer in all
healthcare settings. These tools are based on research, and they are
intended to help staff in hospitals, emergency departments, long-term
care facilities, and ambulatory settings to prevent avoidable
complications of care. Patient Safety tools can be found on the AHRQ
website at Patient Safety and Quality Improvement [verbar] Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality (<a href="http://ahrq.gov">ahrq.gov</a>) under ``Patient Safety
Resources by Setting.''
AHRQ seeks to better understand how using an AHRQ patient safety
tool has resulted in safer care, as evidenced by associated process
and/or outcome measures. AHRQ would like to use this information as an
example of the type of return on investment an organization might
expect when using the tool.
Challenge Goal
The purpose of this challenge goal is to elicit new narratives and
measures (process and outcome) that AHRQ is not already aware of
regarding the use of specific AHRQ Patient Safety tools (listed below).
Use of the tool means use in its entirety or use of a specific part.
These success stories may be posted on the AHRQ website and used for
promotion of corresponding tools.
Tools for consideration:
1. Guide to Patient and Family Engagement in Hospital Quality and
Safety helps hospitals work as partners with patients and families to
improve quality and safety. Includes an implementation handbook and
tools for patients, families, and clinicians.
2. Medications at Transitions and Clinical Handoffs (MATCH) Toolkit
features strategies from the field that can help hospitals improve
medication reconciliation processes for patients as they move through
the healthcare system.
3. Preventing Falls in Hospitals: A Toolkit for Improving Quality
of Care focuses on overcoming the challenges associated with
developing, implementing, and sustaining a fall prevention program.
Includes an implementation guide to help put prevention strategies into
practice.
4. Preventing Hospital-Associated Venous Thromboembolism: A Guide
for Effective Quality Improvement outlines the latest evidence on how
to lead a quality improvement effort to prevent hospital-acquired
venous thromboembolism.
5. Preventing Pressure Ulcers in Hospitals is a toolkit that
assists hospital staff in implementing effective pressure ulcer
prevention practices through an interdisciplinary approach to care.
6. Community-Acquired Pneumonia Clinical Decision Support
Implementation Toolkit is a resource to help clinicians and clinical
informaticians in primary care and other ambulatory settings implement
and adopt the community-acquired pneumonia clinical decision support
alert for the management of community-acquired pneumonia.
7. Guide to Improving Patient Safety in Primary Care Settings by
Engaging Patients and Families offers four interventions and four case
studies designed to improve patient safety by meaningfully engaging
patients and families in their care.
8. Improving Your Laboratory Testing Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
for Rapid-Cycle Patient Safety and Quality Improvement can increase the
reliability of the testing process in your office by helping you
examine how tests are managed.
9. Toolkit to Engage High-Risk Patients in Safe Transitions Across
Ambulatory Settings is designed to help staff actively engage patients
and their care partners to prevent errors during transitions of care.
10. Falls Management Program: A Quality Improvement Initiative for
Nursing Facilities is an interdisciplinary quality improvement
initiative to assist nursing facilities in providing individualized,
person-centered care and improving their fall care processes and
outcomes through educational and quality improvement tools.
11. Improving Patient Safety in Long-Term Care Facilities is a
training curriculum for front-line personnel in nursing home and other
long-term care facilities to help them detect and communicate changes
in a resident's condition and prevent and manage falls.
[[Page 36580]]
Includes an Instructor Guide and separate student workbooks.
12. Safety Program for Nursing Homes: On-Time Pressure Ulcer
Prevention is a team training curriculum to help nursing homes with
electronic medical records reduce the occurrence of pressure ulcers.
13. Communication and Optimal Resolution (CANDOR) Toolkit enables
healthcare organizations to implement an AHRQ-developed process. Like
similar programs in place in other organizations, CANDOR gives
hospitals and health systems the tools to respond immediately when a
patient is harmed and to promote candid, empathetic communication and
timely resolution for patients and caregivers.
14. Making Healthcare Safer III offers a critical analysis of
existing and emerging patient safety practices reviews 47 practices
that target patient safety improvements in hospitals, primary care
practices, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare settings.
Timeline and Prize Amounts
Timeline
June 5, 2023--Challenge launch.
October 5, 2023--Submissions are due. AHRQ will complete the review
of the submissions within 6 weeks of closing the announcement.
November 10, 2023--AHRQ will announce the winners.
Prize Amounts
Up to 10 winners who have described how the use of patient safety
resources demonstrated measurable improvement in associated process
and/or outcome measures will receive $10,000 each.
How To Enter the Challenge
Participants can enter their submissions by visiting the
<a href="http://Challenge.gov">Challenge.gov</a> website. Submission requirements and Challenge
information, including the judging criteria, are also provided on the
site. Participants are encouraged to follow the Challenge on
<a href="http://Challenge.gov">Challenge.gov</a> to obtain any updates and reminders of upcoming
deadlines. Information on the Challenge can also be found on the AHRQ
website: <a href="https://www.ahrq.gov/challenges/patient-safety-tools/index.html">https://www.ahrq.gov/challenges/patient-safety-tools/index.html</a>.
Submission Requirements
Submissions for narratives and measures related to the use of AHRQ
Patient Safety Tools and Resources must be in English and submitted
using the online platform by October 5, 2023. AHRQ will not accept
submissions from an organization whose improvement story related to
this specific tool has already been featured in an AHRQ Impact Case
Study.
Challenge submissions must describe, in a written document that
must be no more than 3 pages, double spaced, 12-point Times New Roman
or Arial font, with 1-inch margins, a narrative that includes, but is
not limited to:
<bullet> The specific patient safety tool, information about the
organization that implemented it (for example, hospital, primary care
clinic, etc.).
<bullet> How it was implemented (for example, hospital-wide, on
select units, etc.).
<bullet> Timeline for implementation (for example, implemented over
a 6-month period).
<bullet> Support for implementation (for example, overseen by the
quality improvement department, led by the unit nurse champion).
<bullet> Positive changes in associated process and/or outcome
measures.
Please see the Challenge Goal section for the list of applicable
patient safety resources.
For examples of high-quality impact stories, please reference the
following case studies from the AHRQ Impact Case Studies website:
<bullet> Georgia Hospitals Improve Medication Reconciliation Process
With AHRQ Toolkit [verbar] Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
<bullet> Tennessee Hospital Association Uses AHRQ Tools To Boost
Patient Safety, Saving $17 Million [verbar] Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality
<bullet> AHRQ's Toolkit Helped Vanderbilt University Hospital
Substantially Reduce Patient Falls [verbar] Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality
Review Process
All submissions will be reviewed by at least two AHRQ patient
safety subject matter expert staff who will score them based on the
review criteria and provide a brief comment about the submission. The
scores/comments on submissions will be compiled and a ranked summary
provided to AHRQ Challenge staff.
Evaluation Criteria for Selecting Winning Applications
Overall Approach (35pts)--Does the submission sufficiently describe
the use of the tool? Does the submission provide sufficient detail
about the selected tool, organizational characteristics, tool
implementation, timeline, support, and improvement in measures as
indicated in the Submission Requirements? Does the submission include a
compelling narrative about the positive use of the tool? Is the
information organized and shared in a logical, thoughtful way, that can
be repurposed to demonstrate how other organizations could replicate
its successful impact?
Impact (35pts)--Does the submission demonstrate positive changes in
both process and outcome measures, as a result of using the specific
tool? Does the submission tell a compelling and impactful story to
demonstrate that the AHRQ Patient Safety Tool utilized has made a
positive impact?
Innovation (10pts)--Does the submission include innovative methods
for implementing the specific tool? While the primary focus of the
submission should be use of the tool as designed, innovative
implementation methods to optimize impact will also be considered.
Addressing Unique Healthcare needs (20pts)--Does the proposal
demonstrate how the use of the specific tool equitably addresses unique
healthcare needs of the population being served (e.g., clinic or
hospital setting), current environment (e.g., patient and family
engagement), and emerging trends (e.g., artificial intelligence in
healthcare, telemedicine)?
Eligibility Rules for Participating in the Challenge
To be eligible under this Challenge, an individual (whether
participating singly or in a group) or entity:
1. Shall have registered to participate in the Challenge.
2. Shall have complied with the rules set forth in this
announcement for participation in this Challenge.
3. Shall be incorporated and maintain a primary place of business
in the United States (in the case of a private entity), and in the case
of an individual, whether participating singly or in a group, shall be
a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
4. May not be a Federal entity or Federal employee acting within
the scope of their employment. (All Federal employees should consult
with their agency Ethics Official to determine whether the federal
ethics rules will limit or prohibit the acceptance of a prize.)
5. May not be an employee of AHRQ or any other company,
organization, or individual involved with the design, production,
execution, judging, or distribution of the Challenge, or their
immediate family (spouse, parents and step-parents, siblings and step-
siblings, and children and step-children), or household members (people
who share the same residence at least 3 months out of the year).
6. May not use Federal funds from a grant to develop Challenge
applications unless consistent with the purpose of the grant award.
[[Page 36581]]
7. May not use Federal funds from a contract to develop Challenge
applications or to fund efforts in support of a Challenge submission.
8. Shall not be deemed ineligible because the individual or entity
used Federal facilities or consulted with Federal employees during a
competition if the facilities and employees are made equitably
available to all individuals and entities participating in the
competition.
9. Shall not be required to purchase liability insurance as a
condition of participation in this competition.
Additional Rules of Participation
By participating in this Challenge, each individual (whether
participating singly or in a group) or entity:
1. Agrees to follow all applicable federal, state, and local laws,
regulations, and policies.
2. Agrees to comply with all terms and conditions of participation
in this Challenge.
3. Agrees that the submission will not use HHS or AHRQ logos or
official seals and will not claim endorsement by HHS or AHRQ.
4. Understands that all materials submitted to AHRQ as part of a
submission become AHRQ records.
5. Agrees that the submission must not infringe upon copyright or
any other rights of any third party.
6. Agrees to assume any and all risks and waive claims against the
Federal Government and its related entities, except in the case of
willful misconduct, for any injury, death, damage, or loss of property,
revenue, or profits, whether direct, indirect, or consequential,
arising from participation in this prize contest, whether the injury,
death, damage, or loss arises through negligence or otherwise.
7. Agrees to indemnify the Federal Government against third-party
claims for damages arising from or related to Challenge activities.
8. Understands that AHRQ reserves the right to cancel, suspend,
and/or modify this prize contest, or any part of it, for any reason, at
AHRQ's sole discretion. AHRQ also reserves the right not to award any
prizes if no entries are deemed worthy.
9. Understands that AHRQ will not select a winner that is named on
the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS).
Intellectual Property (IP) Rights
1. Each participant retains title and full ownership in and to
their submission. Participants expressly reserve all intellectual
property rights not expressly granted.
2. By participating in the Challenge, each participant (whether
participating singly or in a group) acknowledges that he or she is the
sole author or owner of, or has a right to use, any copyrightable works
that the submission comprises, that the works are wholly original with
the participant (or is an improved version of an existing work that the
participant has sufficient rights to use and improve), and that the
submission does not infringe any copyright or any other rights of any
third party of which participant is aware. In addition, each
participant (whether participating singly or in a group) grants to the
U.S. Government a paid-up, nonexclusive, royalty-free, irrevocable
worldwide license and the right to reproduce, publish, post, link to,
share, display publicly (on the web or elsewhere) and prepare
derivative works, including the right to authorize others to do so on
behalf of the U.S. Government.
3. If the submission includes any third party works (such as third
party content or open source code), the participant must be able to
provide, upon request, documentation of all appropriate licenses and
releases for use of such third-party works. If the participant cannot
provide documentation of all required licenses and releases, AHRQ
reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify the
submission.
Dated: May 31, 2023.
Marquita Cullom,
Associate Director.
[FR Doc. 2023-11869 Filed 6-2-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P
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