AHRQ Home Page
http://www.ahrq.gov
How do I access clinical practice guidelines online?
Answer
The Clinical Practice Guidelines subdirectory lists available resources. This includes the National Guidelines Clearinghouse™, a comprehensive database of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and related documents with syntheses and comparisons, and the U.S. Public Health Service Guideline on tobacco cessation.
Clinical practice guidelines sponsored by the former Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, and released from 1992 through 1996, are available online from the National Library of Medicine through an electronic full-text retrieval system called HSTAT. Select to access Clinical Practice Guidelines Online for information on the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers and cardiac rehabilitation. Guidelines covering other topics in this series are now outdated due to more recent research findings or technological advances. Although these documents are no longer considered guidance for current medical practice, you may access electronic versions in the Clinical Practice Guideline Archive.
Guideline documents also may be downloaded using file transfer protocol (FTP) if you have an FTP client. Specify the FTP host address: nlm.nih.gov. First select HSTAT, then AHCPR, then the desired guideline from the list presented. Index files are provided.
You may download these clinical practice guideline files for your personal use only. If you want to reproduce guidelines in any form, incorporate them into other computer access systems, or adapt or update content, copyright issues must be addressed. Select Guideline User Policies for Electronic Versions and Guideline Copyright Information for specific requirements and contacts.
How do I obtain information about clinical preventive services?
Answer
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has produced two major resources:
Select for availability information for the Guide and PPIP.
Availability of Guide to Clinical Preventive Services
You may order a printed copy of the Guide through the Government Printing Office (Stock No. 017-001-00525-8) for $35; the GPO order desk number is (202) 512-1800.
The full text of the Guide is available electronically via the AHRQ's World Wide Web site. Select to access the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services: Second Edition (1996). Each line is a hyperlink to the corresponding section of the full text Guide. You may save Guide sections as electronic files or print them using your Web browser's "Save" and "Print" features.
A Text Version (ASCII file) of the Guide is also available on the World Wide Web.
Using file transfer protocol (FTP) you may download the full Guide as an electronic file if you have an FTP client. Specify the FTP host address nlm.nih.gov. Select HSTAT, then GUIDE_CPS.
Availability of Put Prevention Into Practice Materials
PPIP materials are available online and in print for different audiences. Select Ordering Information for details. They range from clinician materials (such as the Clinician's Handbook of Preventive Services, wall posters, and preventive care flow sheets) to consumer guides.
How do I find out about employment with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality?
Answer
Inquiries about employment opportunities with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality are handled by the Program Support Center's Human Resource Service. Information about positions for which the Agency is currently recruiting can be obtained by calling (301) 443-3201 or (301) 504-3310 (TDD: 912-744-2299). Copies of vacancy announcements may also be obtained by calling this number.
You may access a listing of Job Vacancies with information on application procedures from the AHRQ home page under the category About AHRQ. Applications for employment are only accepted for specific vacancies; applications are not accepted for general employment consideration.
In addition, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality offers a Summer Intern Program for undergraduate and graduate college students in support staff and entry level professional positions.
How do I find out about grants available from your Agency?
Answer
You may access information on Funding Opportunities from the AHRQ home page, including the Agency's research agenda, financial assistance mechanisms used for research projects, a list of grant announcements, and policy notices that apply to grants.
The full text of requests for applications and grant announcements from AHRQ are published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts.
AHRQ grant announcements are available from AHRQ's InstantFAX, a fax-on-demand service that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is accessible to anyone using a fax machine equipped with a touch tone telephone handset. Call (301) 594-2800, push "1," and then press the fax machine's start button for instructions and a list of currently available announcements.
The Grant Application Form (PHS-398) is available online from the National Institutes of Health Grants Web site at the following URL:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html
PHS 398 forms and instructions are available in Adobe® Acrobat® (PDF) format. The revised PHS 398 form is only available online. Applicants are encouraged to access the instructions and forms via the Internet because they provide valuable links to current policy documents and allow easy navigation of the instructions. PHS 398 application kits cannot be faxed to applicants.
How do I obtain information products from your Agency?
Answer
You may call the AHRQ Clearinghouse toll-free at 800-358-9295 (outside the United States please call 410-381-3150). You may also send send an E-mail message to: ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov or a written request to:
AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 8547
Silver Spring, MD 20907-8547
The AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse can provide you with the latest copy of the Publications Catalog that lists available publications and add you to the mailing list for Research Activities, a free monthly newsletter from AHRQ that summarizes the results of funded research and announces new information products as they become available.
You may access Publications & Products from the AHRQ home page, which provides electronic versions of the Publications Catalog and offers links to other electronic resources.
AHRQ also offers InstantFAX, a fax-on-demand service accessible to anyone using a fax machine equipped with a touch tone telephone handset. Call (301) 594-2800, push "1," and then press the fax machine's start button for instructions and a list of currently available documents.
What recourse is there under the information quality guidelines for someone who disagrees with the information disseminated by the Agency?
Answer
You are encouraged to contact the responsible office or staff, if known, to discuss the concern. Several AHRQ programs have help and question lines already established. If you do not know specifically whom to call, contact Wendy Perry in the Office of the Director who can help direct you. She can be reached by phone at (301) 427-1216 or by E-mail at: WPerry@ahrq.gov
If the concern cannot be resolved informally and you feel a correction is warranted, there is a formal process in place for requesting review and corrections. This process grew out of an initiative led by the Office of Management and Budget to ensure the quality of all information disseminated by Federal agencies. The process for filing a formal complaint can be found at: http://www.ahrq.gov/news/infoqual.htm
Current as of July 2003
Send Questions & Comments to: info@ahrq.gov
Internet Citation:
Frequently Asked Questions. July 2003. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/faq.htm