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AHRQ Partnership

The Academy of Medicine of Cleveland & Northern Ohio and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) are pleased to let you know that we are working together to share AHRQ’s patient-centered outcomes research, also known as comparative effectiveness research, with you and your patients. AHRQ is a Federal agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services charged with improving the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. The Academy of Medicine of Cleveland & Northern Ohio is an ideal partner to help disseminate this research, which is designed to inform health care decisions by providing unbiased comparisons of drugs, medical devices, tests, surgeries, or delivery methods for various health conditions.  

As you may know, AHRQ conducts and translates patient-centered outcomes research into a number of valuable patient and professional material. These evidence-based tools include plain language consumer and clinician research summaries, continuing medical education/continuing education (CME/CE) activities, faculty slide sets, web conferences, audio podcasts, and more. All of these tools are designed to encourage and support shared decision making between clinicians and patients, with a goal of better care and increased patient satisfaction.

As the Academy of Medicine of Cleveland & Northern Ohio focuses on medical care grounded in evidence-based research, this new partnership with AHRQ ensures timely access to these valuable free resources and connects all of us with national efforts to improve health care outcomes. As part of the partnership, AHRQ links to the consumer and clinician research summaries and CE modules will be available on our website, along with a link to the AHRQ website, www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov, where you can learn more about AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program. We hope you find these resources informative and helpful as you work to improve the quality of health care throughout Cleveland and Northern Ohio.  Together we can increase awareness of this research to better aid you and your patients in making individual treatment decisions.

Link for AHRQ Effective Health Care Program:  http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ 

• AHRQ Library of Mental Health Materials
• Tools and Resources for Clinicians
• Explore Your Treatment Options Consumer Site
• Research Summaries for Consumers, Clinicians, and Policymakers
• Effective Health Care Program Website

List of the AHRQ patient-centered outcomes consumer research summaries: http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/options/info?RPD

List of AHRQ patient-centered outcomes clinician research summaries: 
http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm/guides-cmece-and-other-resources-for-clinicians/?RPD

Link to the CME modules: http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm/guides-cmece-and-other-resources-for-clinicians/cmece-activities/

New Comparative Effectiveness Resources on C. difficile Treatment and Prevention
Several new resources from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) are now available to help clinicians discuss Clostridium difficile (C. Difficile) infection with their patients and make informed decisions about which treatment options are best for them.
 
Treating and Preventing C-diff Infection: A Review of the Research for Adults and Their Caregivers is written in an easy-to-understand style for patients and caregivers. It summarizes the most up-to-date information on risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of C. Difficile infections. It also includes a list of questions patients can discuss with their doctors.
 
For clinicians, Clostridium difficile Infections: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention gives the "clinical bottom line" on C. Difficile, as well as explaining gaps in knowledge and providing suggestions for discussing C. Difficile with patients. A companion continuing education activity gives and faculty slide set are also available to help clinicians keep up-to-date on the latest evidence-based research on this topic.
 
These resources are based on a systematic comparative effectiveness review of current evidence on C. Difficile, prepared by the AHRQ-supported Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center. The report, Effectiveness of Early Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment of Clostridium difficile Infection, finds that the three major standard antibiotic treatments—oral vancomycin, metronidazole, and the newly approved fidaxomicin—are equally effective for curing initial C. Difficile infections. However, recurrence of C. Difficile infections was found to be less frequent for those who used fidaxomicin rather than vancomycin. The report also examined the comparative effectiveness of current diagnostic tests, prevention methods, and the use of fewer general antibiotics to minimize the likelihood of creating drug-resistant infections.
 
Here is the link to access these resources: http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm/search-for-guides-reviews-and-reports/?pageaction=displayproduct&productID=772&PCem=ClinNews
 
These publications are the latest in a series of AHRQ’s growing library of free English and Spanish-language resources that review the scientific evidence on various health conditions. To learn more and download other products, visit www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov.
 
 AHRQ's chronic illness resources:  http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/partners/ptoolschronic.htm