May 25, 2000

Dear Chairman Specter and Senator Harkin:

The Friends of AHRQ thank you for your strong FY2001 budget recommendation of $270 million for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). This level of funding is needed for the Agency to fully carry out its Congressional mandate to improve health care quality, including reducing medical errors and advancing health outcomes and prevention information. The Friends ask for your continued leadership in maintaining the Senate mark during conference to enable the Agency to:

· Continue to provide leadership in improving patient safety and reducing medical errors. The impact of medical errors on patient health had been well established by the recent report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The President requested $20 million for this effort in AHRQ. The Friends support the additional $30 million provided by the Committee to more quickly enable the Agency to take needed steps to prevent medical errors, including health information systems research.

· Expand investigator-initiated grants, private-public partnerships and clinical prevention research. The President's budget request does not sustain growth in new awards and grants and will lead to a decrease in the funding available to support investigator-initiated research. The Friends recommended an additional $30 million be made available to aid investigator-initiated research, facilitate the translation of research into clinical practice and disease management strategies, and address the needs of vulnerable populations. We are pleased the Senate mark would make available new funding in this area.

Again, the Friends of AHRQ greatly appreciate your leadership and support of AHRQ. We urge you to maintain the Senate mark as part of the final FY2001 Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bill.

Ambulatory Pediatric Association
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Association for Dental Research
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
American Health Quality Association
American Heart Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Psychological Association
American Trauma Society
Association of Academic Health Centers
Association of American Medical Colleges
Association of Departments of Family Medicine
Association of Family Practice Residency Directors
Association of Schools of Public Health
Coalition for American Trauma Care
Coalition for Health Funding
Coalition for Health Services Research
Federation of Behavioral, Psychological and Cognitive Sciences
Medical Group Management Association
North American Primary Care Research Group
Research!America
Society for Adolescent Medicine
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
Washington Business Group on Health