This guide was developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), in cooperation with other agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other public- and private-sector health organizations. AHRQ was formerly the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR)

AHRQ is the lead Federal Agency charged with sponsoring and conducting research on the quality and outcomes of health care services, as well as the cost, use, and access to those services.

For more information on AHRQ-sponsored research and products, call 1-800-358-9295, or visit AHRQ's site on the World Wide Web, http://www.ahrq.gov.

For reliable consumer health and human services information and resources, visit the healthfinder® gateway Web site, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at http://www.healthfinder.gov.