This fact sheet summarizes AHRQ-funded

studies focusing on child health care

outcomes; quality and patient safety; and

cost, use and access. It also summarizes

AHRQ’s support for capacity building in

research, education and dissemination. In

Fiscal Year 2001, AHRQ announced support

for $16 million in new research and training

grants, contracts, and Inter-Agency

Agreements on children’s health care issues

over the life of the projects.

Outcomes

Investigator-initiated Studies

• CARES: Child Abuse Reporting

Experience Study. Principal Investigator:

Emalee G. Flaherty, Children’s Memorial

Hospital, Chicago, IL. Grant No. R0l

HS10746. (09/30/01-09/29/05). The

aim of this prospective descriptive study

of practitioner management of 16,000

childhood injuries is to provide the first

comprehensive analysis of the

management of suspected child abuse in

primary care practices.

• *Minimizing Antibiotic Resistance in

Colorado (MARC). Principal

Investigator: Ralph Gonzales, Regents of

the University of California, San

Francisco, CA. Grant No. R01

HS13001. (07/01/01-06/30/05). The

aim of this study is to examine the

processes and outcomes of care focusing

on various intervention strategies to

improve ambulatory antibiotic

prescribing practices. For example, the

program will measure and assess changes

in antibiotic prescription rates for

pharyngitis in children and bronchitis in

adults, using managed care organizations

(MCO) and Medicaid data from

physician practices.

• *Safety and Financial Ramifications of

ED Copayments. Principal Investigator:

John Hsu, Kaiser Foundation Research

Institute, Oakland, CA. Grant No. R01

HS11434. (07/01/01-06/30/03). The

aim of this study is to evaluate the effects

of the size of copayment for emergency

department use on patient outcomes and

treatment costs within the Kaiser

Permanente-Northern California health

system using a quasi-experimental prepost design with concurrent controls.

Quality and Patient Safety

Investigator-initiated Studies

• Medicaid Managed Care for Children

with Special Health Care Needs

(CSHCN). Principal Investigator: Jean

Mitchell, Georgetown Public Policy

Institute, Georgetown University,

Washington, D.C. Grant No. R01

HS10912. (06/01/01-05/31/04). This

study will analyze factors determining

selection of a managed care plan by the

parents of CSHCN, examine difficulties

children may have in getting access to

care by questioning parents, and examine

several quality of care indicators. One

quality indicator is receipt of preventive

services including immunizations and

dental care, referrals to specialists,

appropriateness of medication use,

hospitalizations for ambulatory sensitive

conditions, and continuity of care.

• *Quality Improvement Structures and

Practices as Determinants of Hospital

Quality Indicators. Principal

Investigator: Jeffrey A. Alexander, The

www.ahrq.gov

AHRQ is the lead Federal agency charged with 

supporting research designed to improve the

quality of health care, reduce its cost, address

patient safety and medical errors, and 

broaden access to essential services. AHRQ 

sponsors and conducts research that provides evidence-based information on health

care outcomes; quality; and cost, use, and

access. The information helps health care

decisionmakers—patients and clinicians,

health system leaders, and policymakers—

make more informed 

decisions and improve the quality of health 

care services.

Research on Child and

Adolescent Health

New Starts —

Fiscal Year 2001

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality • 2101 East Jefferson Street • Rockville, MD 20852

FACT SHEET

U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services

Public Health Service
Regents of the University of Michigan,

Ann Arbor, MI. Grant No. R01

HS11317. (09/01/01-08/31/03). The

aim of this study is to assess the

relationship between hospital quality

improvement structures, practices and

selected quality indicators in a sample

of more than 854 hospitals. The study

will combine unique survey data on

these hospital structures and practices

with data derived from hospital

discharge abstract data under the

HCUP program at AHRQ. Children

will be incorporated in these data, but

researchers will not produce a specific

analysis for children.

• *Racial/Ethnic Differences in

CAHPS Ratings and Reports.

Principal Investigator: Robert J.

Weech-Maldonado, Pennsylvania State

University, University Park, PA. Grant

No. R03 HS11386. (05/01/01-

04/30/02). The purpose of this study is

to examine the racial-ethnic differences

in consumer health plan assessments

for adults and children enrolled in

managed care plans.

Projects Funded Under the RFA:

Clinical Informatics to Promote

Patient Safety (CLIPS)

This Request for Applications (RFA) sought

projects to develop and test the use of

innovative technologies, such as hand-held

electronic medication and specimen

management systems, training simulators for

medical education, computerized bar-coding,

patient bracelets, smart cards, and automated

medication-dispensing systems in clinical

settings. Projects will assess the extent to which

such innovations, contribute to measurable

and sustainable improvements in patient

safety and quality of care. • Using Hand-held Technology to

Reduce Errors in ADHD Care.

Principal Investigator: Paula Lozano,

University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

Grant No. R18 HS11859. (09/26/01-

08/31/04). This randomized controlled

trial in 3 primary care practices will

develop and evaluate a computerized

system for laptop use in the examining

room as an extension of an existing inhouse prescribing system to improve

the care of children with attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder.

• Impact of Electronic Prescribing on

Medication Errors in Ambulatory

Pediatrics. Principal Investigator:

Kevin B. Johnson, Johns Hopkins

University, Baltimore, MD. Grant No.

R18 HS11868. (09/18/01-08/31/04).

The aims of this study are to assess the

baseline medication error rate in an

urban pediatric emergency department

and clinic; to compare handheld

implements for electronic prescription

writing; and to determine the effect

that electronic prescribing has on

medication error rates and prescribing

practices.

Projects Funded Under the RFA:

Developmental Centers for

Evaluation and Research in Patient

Safety (DCERPS)

This RFA sought exploratory grants to assist

the advancement of DCERPS, including

planning for activities to enhance the capacity

to conduct quality research and translate

research findings into practice. • Center for Evaluation and Research

in Pediatric Safety. Principal

Investigator: James A. Taylor,

University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

Grant No. P20 HS11590. (09/30/01-

09/29/04). The aim of this project is to

establish a DCERPS to develop

programs to reduce and prevent

medical errors in children in diverse

settings (e.g., inpatient and intensive

care units, emergency departments,

private pediatric practices in rural and

urban areas, and primary care centers

serving minority populations).

• Center for Patient Safety in Neonatal

Intensive Care. Principal Investigator:

Jeffrey D. Horbar, University of

Vermont, Burlington, VT. Grant No.

P20 HS11583. (09/30/01-09/29/04).

The aims of this project are to: (1)

create a DCERPS in neonatal intensive

care to reduce medical errors and

enhance patient safety for high-risk

newborns, and (2) determine how to

learn most effectively from those

medical errors and then communicate

the information to families.

• *The Center for Improving Patient

Safety (CIPS). Principal Investigator:

Robert S. Dittus, Vanderbilt University

Medical Center, Nashville, TN. Grant

No. P20 HS11563. (09/01/01-

2
08/31/04). The aim of this project is

to create a CIPS to study medical error

awareness and experiences within racial

and ethnic minority populations

focusing on various settings, levels of

care and medical specialties. One pilot

study will use aggregated risk

management incident reports to detect,

prevent and treat common causes of

medical errors and near misses in

selected medical care settings, including

general pediatrics, cardiology,

emergency medicine and radiology.

• *Oregon Patient Safety Evaluation

Center. Principal Investigator: David

H. Hickam, Oregon Health & Science

University, Portland, OR. Grant No.

P20 HS11550. (10/01/01-09/30/04).

The aim of this project is to establish a

DCERPS to build a multi-institutional

and interdisciplinary research program

focusing on patient safety activities,

and provide infrastructure for multiple

future research studies. Several medical

and clinical infrastructures will support

the center that includes four pediatric

programs that will review data on

adverse outcomes in pediatric patients.

• *The American Academy of Family

Physicians (AAFP) DCERPS.

Principal Investigator: John M.

Hickner, American Academy of Family

Physicians, Leawood, KS. Grant No.

P20 HS11584. (09/01/01-08/31/01).

The aim of this project is to establish a

National DCERPS in primary care to

strengthen AAPF’s medical education

programs to improve the safety of

medical care for patients of all ages,

including children in the primary care

physician’s offices, family practices, and

residency training clinics.

Project Funded Under the RFA:

Centers of Excellence For Patient

Safety Research and Practice

This RFA sought research program project

grants to support the development of

multidisciplinary research teams to build the

knowledge base on the scope and impact of

medical errors, particularly for diverse care

settings and populations. • *Improving Medication Safety

Across Clinical Settings. Principal

Investigator: David W. Bates, Brigham

and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA.

Grant No. P01 HS11534. (09/24/01-

08/31/06). The aim of this project is to

extend previous studies to new

populations and settings to improve

drug safety across the continuum of

care in diverse patient groups. One

study will determine the rates, types

and predictors of medication errors

and adverse drug events in a pediatric

ambulatory setting, and perform a

randomized controlled trial to assess

the effectiveness of an intervention on

reducing serious medication errors in

children.

Projects Funded Under the RFA:

Improving Patient Safety—Health

Systems Reporting, Analysis, and

Safety Improvement Research

Demonstrations

This RFA sought large demonstrations in

states, health care systems and/or networks of

providers to test reporting strategies and

patient safety interventions. • *Surveillance, Analysis, and

Interventions to Improve Patient

Safety. Principal Investigator: Victoria

Fraser, Washington University School

of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Grant

No. U18 HS11898. (09/30/01-

9/29/04). The aims of this project are

to study the best methods to identify

and improve reporting of medical

errors and adverse events; the

epidemiology of medical errors

including the organizational, process

and human factors that contribute to

the occurrence of medical errors; the

effectiveness of educational and process

interventions to reduce medical errors

and improve patient safety; and how

health care workers communicate with

patients and families about medical

errors. In this study, researchers will use

risk management and incident report

data on children from the St. Louis

Children’s Hospital to document and

catalogue medical errors and patient

safety issues in children.

• *Addressing Preventable Medication

Use Variance in Mississippi. Principal

Investigator: Andrew C. Brown,

University of Mississippi Medical

Center, Jackson, MS. Grant No. U18

HS11923. (09/30/01-09/29/04). The

aims of this project are to: (1) identify

the causes of preventable health care

errors and patient injury in health care

3
delivery; (2) develop, demonstrate,

and evaluate strategies for reducing

errors and improving patient safety;

and (3) disseminate the results of the

project’s research and strategies

throughout the health care industry.

Researchers will focus on ten study

sites throughout the state that

include priority populations (e.g.,

inner-city and rural areas, lowincome and minority groups,

women, children and the elderly).

Project Funded Under the RFA:

Patient Safety Research

Dissemination and Education

This RFA sought grants to support

professional associations, educational

leadership organizations and provider

organizations to demonstrate and evaluate

innovative approaches to provider

education; to disseminate patient safety

research results and best practices; and to

promote positive safety culture. • Transfer of a Novel Pediatric

Simulation Program. Principal

Investigator: Louis P. Halamek,

Stanford University, Stanford, CA.

Grant No. U18 HS12022.

(09/30/01-08/31/04). The aims of

this study are to determine whether

the skills acquired within a simulated

environment can be practiced in the

real delivery room, and whether the

practice of these skills result in

improved patient safety. The longterm objective is to improve the

technical and behavioral

performance of those caring for

mothers and babies in the delivery

room and thus reduce the rate of

medical errors in that domain.

Evidence-based Practice

Program—Synthesizing Scientific

Evidence to Improve Quality and

Effectiveness in Clinical Care

Under this program, 12 five-year contracts

have been awarded by AHRQ to

institutions in the United States and

Canada to serve as Evidence-based Practice

Centers (EPCs). The EPCs will review all

relevant scientific literature on assigned

clinical care topics and produce evidence

reports and technology assessments, conduct

research on methodologies and the

effectiveness of their implementation, and

participate in technical assistance activities.

Public and private sector organizations

may use the reports and assessments as the

basis for their own clinical guidelines and

other quality improvement activities. The

following are 2001 topics relevant to

children: • Management of Bronchiolitis.

Research Triangle Institute and

University of North Carolina at

Chapel Hill.

• Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia.

New England Medical Center.

• Preventing Adolescent Criminal

and Other Health-risking Social

Behavior. The Oregon Health and

Science University.

• *Treatment-resistant Epilepsy.

Emergency Care Research Institute

(ECRI).

Cost, Utilization, and Access

Investigator-initiated Studies • Dynamics of Family Disadvantage

and Childhood Asthma. Principal

Investigator: Nazil Baydar,

University of Washington, Seattle,

WA. Grant No. R01 HS13110.

(09/30/01-08/31/04). The aim of

this project is to extend previous

research to investigate the impact of

having a child with asthma and the

burden this condition places on the

family’s resources (e.g., economic

resources, the parents’ time and

availability for care, access and

barriers to health care).

• Managing the Health Needs of

Vulnerable Children: Families’

Experience. Principal Investigator:

Michael Seid, Children’s Hospital

Research Center, San Diego, CA.

Grant No. R03 HS11751.

(09/30/01-09/29/02). The aim of

this project is to provide qualitative

information about managing the

health care needs of vulnerable

children in San Diego. Data will be

gathered using semi-structured

interviews focusing on health needs,

health care services use, problems in

using care, and proposals for health

care services improvement. Results

will be used to design effective

interventions to improve health care

delivery to vulnerable children.

4
• Assessing Medical Need Among

Children in Managed Care. Principal

Investigator: Paul Fishman, Group

Health Cooperative, Seattle, WA.

Grant No. R01 HS11314. (05/01/01-

10/31/03). The aims of this project are

to (1) determine whether risk

assessment models are sensitive enough

to identify expected health care cost

and utilization for children in managed

health care plans; (2) evaluate if

financial disincentives exist for health

plans to enroll children and families

with children; and (3) assess how

additional health status information

improves the predictive performance of

risk assessment instruments.

• *The Impact of the Oregon Health

Plan on TANF Leavers’ Ability to

Care for Their Families’ Health.

Principal Investigator: Karen M.

Seccombe, Portland State University,

Portland, OR. Grant No. R01

HS11322. (09/05/01-08/31/04). The

aim of this project is to examine the

effects of welfare reform on the access

to health insurance and use of health

services among former welfare

recipients and their children in the

State of Oregon

Contracts

Integrated Delivery System

Research Network (IDSRN)

AHRQ’s IDSRN was designed to capitalize

on the research capacity of integrated delivery

systems. The network creates, supports, and

disseminates scientific evidence about what

works and what does not work in terms of

data and measurement systems and

organizational “best practices” related to care

delivery and research diffusion. It also

provides a cadre of delivery-affiliated

researchers and sites to test ways to adapt and

apply existing knowledge.

*Validating the Healthcare Cost and

Utilization Projects (HCUP) Patient

Safety Quality Indicators. Principal

Investigator: Shula Bernard, Research

Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park,

NC. The purpose of this study is to

validate HCUP quality indicators to

include patient safety indicators using data

from three integrated delivery systems

(Intermountain Health Care, Providence

Health System, and UPMC Health

System) to accurately measure adverse

events. Some of the HCUP quality

indicators being validated will focus on the

care of children.

Small Business Innovation

Research (SBIR)

AHRQ’s SBIR program supports innovative

research conducted by small business concerns

that have potential for commercialization of

research. • *Web-Enabled Asthma Application

for Personalized Medical

Communication. Principal

Investigator: Renee J. Goldberg

Arnold, Pharmacon International, Inc.,

New York, NY. The purpose of this

study is to develop an integrated

medical system that facilitates

communication between physicians

and asthma patients. The system will

enhance compliance with therapeutic

regimens and enable self-management

through peak flow monitoring. The

project proposes to make the integrated

technological system appropriate for

children under six and their parents.

Capacity Building

AHRQ supports research for infrastructure

development in the field of health services

research.

Projects Funded Under the RFA:

Building Research Infrastructure

and Capacity (BRIC) Program

BRIC is a merit-based, peer-reviewed

program initiated to broaden geographic

distribution of health services research

funding by enhancing the competitiveness for

research funding among institutions located

in states in which the aggregate success rate

for applications to the AHRQ has historically

been low. This RFA will support a

development program to increase the health

services research competitiveness of institutions

within selected states. • Intermountain Child Health Services

Research Consortium. Principal

Investigator: Charles J. Hoff,

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.

Grant No. P20 HS11826. (09/30/01-

09/29/03). The aim of this project is to

develop an infrastructure to generate

and support a child health services

research program in the Intermountain

West to improve the quality and

delivery of health care for all children

5
with emphasis on children with special

health care needs.

• Mississippi Building Research

Infrastructure and Capacity Project.

Principal Investigator: Linda H.

Southward, Mississippi State

University, Mississippi, State, MS.

Grant No. P20 HS11849. (09/30/01-

09/29/02). The aim of this project is to

develop an innovative multidisciplinary

research program to improve the health

care and health outcomes of

underserved, rural, predominantly

minority children in 12 impoverished

counties in the Mississippi Delta.

• *LSU Health Services Research

Program. Principal Investigator:

Frederick P. Cerise, LSU Health

Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA.

Grant No. P20 HS11834. (09/30/01-

09/29/03. The aim of this study is to

launch a Louisiana State University

(LSU) Health Services Research

Program to increase applied health

services research in the State. The

program will be a partnership between

the LSU medical school and the LSU

health care services unit (that delivers

health care to approximately 1 million

residents, particularly the uninsured

and underinsured). Participation of

children will be addressed on a projectby-project basis in this program.

Projects Funded Under the RFA:

Primary Care Practice-Based

Research Networks (PBRNs) II

This RFA sought projects to provides

continuing support of PBRNs and assisst

PBRNs in addressing data-related issues.

Grants were awarded to PBRNs which had

received planning grants from an earlier

RFA. • Pediatric Practice Research Group

(PPRG): Retooling for the 21st

Century, Phase 2. Principal

Investigator: Helen Binns, Children’s

Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL.

Grant No. U01 HS11248. (09/30/01-

09/29/02). The aims of this project are

to: continue to examine methods of

computerized data collection and

develop a plan for phased trials of such

in the practice setting; strategize with

PPRG physicians on ways to

implement studies that lead to

enhanced patient care; and conduct a

National Ambulatory Medical Care

Survey among willing PPRG

practitioners to examine the challenges

and the diversity of clinic flow

patterns.

• Cincinnati Pediatric Research Group

Enhancement Project. Principal

Investigator: Michele Kiely, Children’s

Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati,

OH. Grant No. P20 HS11201.

(09/30/01-09/29/02). This study will

further develop and create a significant,

stable infrastructure for an established

community-practice based research

network to provide pediatric primary

care.

• Defining Patient visits in a National

Pediatric PBRN. Principal

Investigator: Richard C. Wasserman,

The American Academy of Pediatrics,

Elk Grove Village, IL. Grant No. U01

HS11192. (09/30/01-09/29/02). The

aim of this study is to enroll 40

Pediatric Research in Office Settings

(PROS) networks and the National

Medical Association Pediatric Sections

to compare a traditional paper/pencil

data collection for the National

Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

(NAMCS) with NAMCS data

collection accomplished via Web-based

technologies. These analyses will

compare completeness, accuracy, and

practitioner satisfaction with data

collected via the two methods.

• *Applied Strategies for Interventions

of Patient Safety. Principal

Investigator: Wilson D. Pace,

University of Colorado Health

Sciences Center, Denver, CO. Grant

No. U18 HS 11878. (09/30/01-

09/27/04). This study involves two

practice-based research networks: the

Colorado Research Network (includes

a pediatric practice) and the High

Plains Research Network. Both provide

services to the rural, urban, minority,

frontier and underserved populations.

Researchers will collect and analyze the

causes and effects of errors in primary

care, as well as develop and implement

interventions aimed at decreasing

recognized errors in primary care.

Training Grants • The Effect of Public Insurance on

Dental Health Outcomes. Principal

6
Investigator: Tegwyn L. Hughes,

University of North Carolina at Chapel

Hill, Chapel Hill, NC. Grant No. R03

HS11514. (09/30/01-06/30/02). The

aim of this dissertation project is to

conduct an in-depth comparison of the

utilization of dental services,

effectiveness of established pediatric

oral health performance measures, and

dental health status for children (ages

1-5) enrolled in either the NC

Medicaid program or the NC

SCHIP/Health Choice program.

• Effects of WIC on Child Medicaid

Dental Use and Costs. Principal

Investigator: Jessica Y. Lee, University

of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,

Chapel Hill, NC. Grant No. R03

HS11607. (09/30/01-09/29/02). The

aim of this dissertation project is to

examine the Women, Infants and

Children’s (WIC) Supplemental Food

Program focusing on oral health

utilization patterns and cost to the

Medicaid program for children under 5

years. The researcher will also explore a

new aspect of Medicaid utilization, the

role of WIC, and its partnership to

help increase oral health access for

these Medicaid children.

• The Effect of Medication Errors in

the Pediatric ICU. Principal

Investigator: Joel D. Portnoy, The

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia,

Philadelphia, PA. Grant No. K08

HS11636. (09/04/01-08/31/06). The

aims of this Mentored Clinical

Scientist Development Award are to:

(1) calculate the increase in resource

utilization attributable to exposure to

medication errors in patients admitted

to the pediatric ICU; (2) determine the

risk of mortality attributable to

exposure to medication errors in

patients admitted to the pediatric ICU;

and (3) determine the risk of requiring

inpatient rehabilitation or technology

dependence associated with exposure

to medication errors.

• Measuring Quality of Care for

Homeless Adolescents. Principal

Investigator: B. Josephine Ensign,

University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

Grant No. K08 HS11414. (07/06/01-

06/30/05). The aim of this Mentored

Clinical Scientist Development Award

is to conduct research using a mixedmethod study, including interviews,

focus groups and a pilot test, to

document the factors necessary for

monitoring access and quality of

primary health care for homeless

youth.

Faculty Development for General

Pediatrics Teaching in CommunityBased Settings

In collaboration with the Health Resources

and Services Administration’s Bureau of

Health Professions, AHRQ continues to

support the Ambulatory Pediatric Association’s

(APA) Primary Care Pediatrics Research

Awards. This special projects program

facilitates in building the field of child health

services research. The following three projects

were awarded in 2001: • Epidemiology and External Causes

of Pediatric Injury-Related Visits to

Emergency Departments and

Hospital Outpatient Departments in

the United States. Principal

Investigator: Simon J. Hambidge,

Denver Health Medical Center,

Denver CO. The purpose of this

project is to define and examine the

epidemiology and external causes of

pediatric injuries seen in emergency

departments and hospital outpatient

departments, and compare the

demographic characteristics of children

with injury-related visits to those with

non-injury related visits.

• Trends in the Non-operative

Management of Splenic Injury in

Children. Principal Investigator:

Daniela H. Davis, Children’s Hospital

of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. The

purpose of this project is to characterize

the diffusion of non-operative

management of splenic injury in

children within a regionalized trauma

system.

• Assessment of School Readiness in

Pediatric Office Visits. Principal

Investigator: Alice Kuo, UCLA Center

for Healthier Children, Families, and

Communities, Los Angeles, CA. The

purpose of this project is to perform an

analysis of the current practices in

pediatric office visits focusing on the

school readiness assessment from the

National Survey of Early Childhood

Health.

7
Small Conference Grants

• Improving EMS for Children

Through Outcomes Research –

March 30-April 1, 2001. Principal

Investigator: Ellen Crain, Jacobi

Hospital, Bronx, NY. Grant No. R13

HS10942. (01/01/01-12/31/01). The

Ambulatory Pediatric Association

(APA) Conference, “Improving EMS

for Children Through Outcomes

Research,” was held in Reston, VA.

The conference introduced young

pediatric emergency medicine

investigators to important concepts in

outcomes research; reviewed measures

that exist; determined the applicability

of these measures to pediatric

emergency medicine research;

identified where new measures are

needed; and promoted dialogue

between health service researchers from

other disciplines and pediatric

emergency medicine.

• Research Agenda for Pediatric Burns

Outcomes Measurement – April 9-

11, 2001. Principal Investigator:

Ronald Tompkins, American Burn

Association, Chicago, IL. Grant No.

R13 HS 10950. (03/01/01-02/28/02).

Focusing on the issue of research on

outcomes of care for burn injuries in

children, this conference convened an

invited group of clinicians and other

experts on pediatric burn management

and outcomes measurement to

disseminate and discuss an instrument

on functional outcomes in pediatric

burn survivors. The conference

established the need for a national

research agenda for improving the

quality of health care for children with

burn injuries.

• *Asthma Education in the

Emergency Department – April 1-3,

2001. Principal Investigator: Carlos

Camargo, New York, NY. Grant No.

R13 HS10940. (12/15/00-12/14/01).

The Massachusetts General Hospital,

including the Multicenter Airway

Research Collaboration (MARC)

Coordinating Center, held an expert

consensus conference to address the

deficiencies in asthma education in the

emergency department, and will design

a research strategy to implement and

assess its effects. Participants will

develop a research agenda, including a

multicenter, randomized clinical trial

to assess the effects of a focused asthma

education program on asthma

outcomes.

• *Meeting the Challenge of Medicaid

Managed Care: Best Practices for

Clinical Care and Teaching –

November 1-3, 2001. Principal

Investigator: Rosalie Phillips, Tufts

Managed Care Institute, Boston, MA.

Grant No. R13 HS10969. (09/30/01-

09/29/02). Tufts Managed Care

Institute in collaboration with

Partnerships for Quality Education

convened a conference to enhance the

competencies of clinicians and faculty

in academic health centers and

affiliated practices to meet needs of

both patients and trainees in Medicaid

managed care programs. A workshop

focused on “childhood immunization

rates.” The core audience was primary

care physicians and nurse practitioners.

User Liaison Program (ULP)

Workshops with Senior State

Officials.

The ULP disseminates health services

research findings in easily understandable

and usable formats through interactive

workshops and technical assistance for State

and local health policymakers and other

health services users. Summaries of workshops

are available on AHRQ’s Web site at:

http://www.ahrq.gov/news/ulpix.htm 

• Improving the Quality of Care

Delivered to Children Served by

State Agencies. January 24-26, 2001,

New Orleans, LA.

For more information

For further information about child and

adolescent health activities at AHRQ, visit:

http://www.ahrq.gov/child.

*Project includes children or

children’s healthcare issues, but does

not focus exclusively on children.

www.ahrq.gov

AHRQ Pub. No. 02-P008

January 2002