National EMS Research Agenda

1
National EMS Research Agenda

• Marge Keyes, MA
• Center for Quality Improvement Patient Safety
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• 301-594-1824
• mkeyes_at_ahrq.gov

2
Historical/Complicating Factors

• Lack of research infrastructure
• Limited affiliation with academic centers
• Diversity of EMS locus
• Health department
• Fire department
• Hospital
• County
• Difficulty
• Creating/accessing data
• Measuring prehospital cares impact on patient
  outcomes
• Insufficient number of reviewers who understand
  pre-hospital/ EMS care

3
AHRQs Centers of Excellence Approach

• Research Program Projects (P01s)
• Support a broad, integrated research program
• Multiple projects (interacting discrete projects)
• Linked to a central theme
• Use of multidisciplinary research teams to build
  a new knowledge base
• Demonstrated capacity to fulfill goals/programs

4
AHRQ Centers of Excellence

• Strong teams
• One PI responsible for
• Planning
• Direction
• Execution
• Multiple facilities
• Experienced independent researchers directing
  discrete projects
• Build capacity
• New researchers/institutions

5
AHRQ Centers of Excellence

• Develop new methodologies
• Generate analytic measures for use across
  supported projects
• Share essential
• Facilities
• Services
• Knowledge
• Data

6
AHRQ Centers of Excellence

• Number of projects
• Minimum
• Maximum
• On-going
• Minimal government involvement

7
AHRQ Centers of Excellence

• Cores required (may be individuals, teams,
  facilities)
• Technical
• Methods/methodologists
• Data processing, linking, analysis
• Data standards, variable definitions
• Dissemination of information
• Administrative
• Coordination/business management
• Equipment
• Facilities
• Purchasing
• Support