Practice Guidelines: Overview of Agency for Health Care Policy and
Research Efforts (Testimony, 07/25/95, GAO/T-HEHS-95-221).

In 1989, Congress created the Agency for Health Care Policy and
Research--part of the Public Health Service--to serve as the federal
government's focal point for effectiveness and outcomes research.  The
agency was required to develop clinical practice guidelines to help
doctors and patients make decisions about prevention, diagnosis, and
treatment of specific clinical conditions.  The goal was to optimize
care, eliminate waste, and avoid unnecessary procedures. Typically,
guideline development entails a consensus of expert medical opinion, a
synthesis of current scientific evidence, or a combination of these
approaches. This testimony examines the efficiency and effectiveness of
the agency's clinical practice guideline efforts.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-HEHS-95-221
     TITLE:  Practice Guidelines: Overview of Agency for Health Care 
             Policy and Research Efforts
      DATE:  07/25/95
   SUBJECT:  Health care services
             Health care programs
             Disease detection or diagnosis
             Quality assurance
             Risk management
             Physicians
             Health research programs
             Health care cost control
             Consumer protection
             Evaluation methods

             
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