Guidelines, Journals Other Publications

Glossaries

• Canadian Health Services Research Foundation Glossary - (Canadian Health Services Research Foundation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research)  - Definitions the CHSRF uses in its health services research work.

• CMS Glossary - (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS))  - This searchable glossary explains terms found on the cms.hhs.gov Web site.

• Comparative Effectiveness Research Glossary of Terms - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - Glossary of terms used in comparative effectiveness research.

• Data Resource Center for Children and Adolescent Health Glossary of Terms - Glossary of terms.

• Dissemination and Implementation Science Glossary - (Center for Health Education Dissemination and Implementation Research (CHEDIR) US)  - This is a glossary of dissemination and implementation science terms.

• Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) Glossary - (Duke University Medical Center Library US, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Health Science Library US)  - Glossary of EBM-related terminology.

• Glossary of Clinical Trials Terms - (National Institutes of Health (NIH))  - has many of the common terms used in clinical trials.

• Glossary of Frequently Encountered Terms in Health Economics - (National Library of Medicine, National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology)  - provides easy to understand defintions of health economic terms.

• Glossary of Health Care Quality Terms - (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))  - A glossary of key terms in the fields of health care quality, disparities reduction and quality improvement.

• Glossary of NIH Terms - (National Institutes of Health (NIH))  - This site serves as a glossary of NIH terms.

• Glossary of Terms Commonly Used in Health Care, 2004 ed. - (AcademyHealth)  - This glossary is divided into 3 sections: a) health care delivery and financing terms; b) epidemiological and statistical terms; and c) accounting and economic terms.

• Health Disparities Defined - (National Cancer Institute, NIH (NCI))  - Provides access to several definitions and a link to NCI health disparities research.

• Health Services Research (HSR) Methods Glossary - (AcademyHealth)  - was developed to facilitate communication across the multi-disciplary field of HSR. Developers acknowledged the varied use of terms and suggest a consensus definition for the field. Related terms and synonyms are referenced to assist translation of terms across the disciplines that comprise HSR.

• Health Services Research: A Definition - (AcademyHealth)  - Link to full text of article that provides a definition of health services research.

• HealthReformGPS.org - (George Washington University, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))  - This site has been designed to present unbiased information about the health reform legislation while also setting forth implementation issues that may arise from a full range of stakeholder views on any particular topic.

• HTA 101: Glossary - (National Library of Medicine (NLM) U.S.)  - This glossary is an appendix to the e-text HTA101. It lists and defines terms used in the field of health technology assessment.

• Kaiser Global Health - (Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) US)  - Designed to serve as a resource for those working on global health policy issues, reporting on global health for the news media, or conducting research more broadly. Prepared and maintained by the Kaiser Family Foundation, it provides an edited compilation of definitions of key terms in global health. It is based on multiple source documents and Kaiser Family Foundation products, and several reference links are provided at the end of this resource.

• National Guideline Clearinghouse Glossary - (National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC))  - The National Guideline Clearinghouse™ (NGC), sponsored by AHRQ, provides a glossary of clarifying definitions and examples of terms used to describe common properties of evidence-based clinical practice guideline summaries.

• Preventive Services Glossary - (National Business Group on Health (NBGH) US)  - The glossary contains definitions and examples of scientific, medical, and business terms.

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Guidelines

• AHRQ - Tools and Resources to Help Communities Prepare for Hurricane Season - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - AHRQ offers tools to help communities prepare for and respond to hurricane events and other natural disasters. New additions include: Disaster Alternate Care Facilities, Hospital Evacuation Decision Guide, Hospital Assessment and Recovery Guide, and The Essentials: Mass Medical Care with Scarce Resources. Other tools featured on the Web page offer assistance with issues such as caring for children, transporting patients from one facility to another, nursing home needs, reopening shuttered hospitals to meet surge demand and using community call centers for crisis support.

• AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Clinician Guide: Lipid Modifying Agents - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - Clinicigan guides from The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Effective Health Care Program.

• AHRQ Pharmacy Health Literacy Center - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - This site provides pharmacists with recently released health literacy tools and other resources from AHRQ.

• Clinical Practice Guidelines - (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH (NHLBI))  - Links to clinical practice guidelines.

• CMS Health Literacy Toolkit - (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS))  - Provides a detailed and comprehensive set of tools to help make written material in printed formats easier for people to read, understand, and use.

• e-Source Online Resource for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research - (Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, NIH (OBSSR))  - Provides an easy means by which investigators can efficiently obtain answers to emerging methodological concerns.

• A Guide To Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) on The Web - (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA))  - SAMHSA provides this Web Guide to assist the public with simple and direct connections to Web sites that contain information about interventions to prevent and/or treat mental and substance use disorders. The Web Guide provides a list of Web sites that contain information about specific evidence-based practices (EBPs) or provide comprehensive reviews of research findings. The Web Guide can be used by stakeholders throughout the behavioral health field to promote awareness of current intervention research and to increase the implementation and availability of EBPs.

• Health Services Research Doctoral Core Competencies - (BioMed Central)  - This manuscript, by Dr . Christopher Forrest and colleagues, presents an initial description of doctoral level core competencies for health services research (HSR). The competencies are described in broad terms which reflect the unique expertise, interests, and preferred learning methods of academic HSR programs. The paper discusses the important learning objectives and methods for HSR training, and clarifies the unique skills of HSR graduates.

• Health Services/Technology Assessment Text (HSTAT) - (National Library of Medicine (NLM) U.S.)  - Health Services/Technology Assessment Text is a searchable collection of large, full-text practice guidelines (including the Guide to Community Preventive Services), technology assessments and health information.

• Health Technology Assessment on the Net: A Guide to Internet Sources of Information - (Institute of Health Economics Canada)  - Guide published by the Canadian Institute of Health Economics.

• HSR Core Competencies - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - In November of 2005, AHRQ held a conference to define the knowledge-based and skills-based competencies common to all health services research professionals trained at the doctoral level. Access Table 1, highlighting 14 HSR Core Competencies.

• The HTAi Interest Group on Patient/Citizen Involvement Methodology and References - (Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) Canada)  - Patient and provider resources, including methodologies, qualitative studies, information on shared decision making, and other resources.

• ISPOR Good Outcomes Research Practices & Issues Index/Research Tools - (International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) US)  - Consensus documents on key outcomes research methods. ISPOR convenes experts in outcomes research to develop guidance for researchers on contentious outcomes research methods.

• Moving Science into Coverage: An Employer's Guide to Preventive Services - (National Business Group on Health (NBGH) US)  - Developed in collaboration with the CDC and AHRQ, the Purchaser's Guide provides guidance for the selection of clinical preventive services shown to be effective by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, CDC and other authoritative organizations; translates clinical guidelines and medical evidence into lay terms; and provides large employers with the information they need to select, define, and implement comprehensive and structured preventive service benefits.

• National Guideline Clearinghouse™ (NGC) - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - Resources for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.

• Public Health Foundation - (Public Health Foundation (PHF))  - With a contribution from the National Library of Medicine, the Public Health Foundation (PHF) developed a Quality Improvement (QI) Quick Guide for public health practitioners, which was launched online in August 2010. The QI Quick Guide addresses a need identified by public health practitioners for assistance in determining which resources to use as they pursue QI initiatives.

• PubMed Health - (National Library of Medicine (NLM) U.S.)  - PubMed Health is a consumer health Web site produced by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), a division of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). PubMed Health provides up-to-date information on diseases, conditions, injuries, drugs, supplements, treatment options, and healthy living, with a special focus on comparative effectiveness research, in particular that research which evaluates the available evidence of the benefits and harms of different treatment options for different groups of people.

• Research-based Health Literacy Materials and Instruction Guide - (National Institute for Literacy US)  - These health literacy materials meet both the need of adults to enhance their literacy skills as well as their need to navigate the health care system and begin to achieve better health care for themselves and their families.

• TalkingQuality.Gov - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - TalkingQuality is a comprehensive resource and guide for organizations that produce and disseminate reports to consumers on the quality of care provided by health care organizations (e.g., hospitals, health plans, medical groups, nursing homes) and individual physicians.

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HSR Core Library Recommendations

• Core Health Policy Library Recommendations, 2011 - (National Library of Medicine, National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology)  - This list focuses on core (essential/indispensible) health policy materials-books (print and e-books), journals (print and online), bibliographic databases, and select electronic resources such as alerts, blogs, newsletters, and Websites.

• Encyclopedia of Health Services Research - (Sage US)  - With more than 400 entries, this two volume reference book investigate the relationship between the factors of cost, quality, and access to healthcare and their impact upon medical outcomes such as death, disability, disease, discomfort, and dissatisfaction with care.

• Health Economics Core Library Recommendations, 2011 - (National Library of Medicine, National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology)  - Lists of journals, books and other resources recommended for a basic library collection in health economics.

• Health Outcomes Core Library Recommendations, 2011 - (National Library of Medicine, National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology)  - An introduction answers the questions - What are health outcomes? and Why are they important? Lists of core journals, books, databases, and Websites are recommended for a basic library collection in health outcomes.

• Health Policy Core Library Recommendations, 2000 - (National Library of Medicine, National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology)  - List of journals, books and other resources recommended for a basic library collection in health policy.

• Health Services Research and Health Policy Grey Literature Project: Summary Report - (AcademyHealth)  - Grey literature is "that which is produced on all levels of government, academics, business and industry in print and electronic formats, but which is not controlled by commercial publishers" according to the Luxembourg convention.

• Health Services Research Methodology Core Library Recommendations, 2007 - (National Library of Medicine, National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology)  - The scope of methods employed by health services researchers is very wide. HSR methods encompass a variety of study frameworks, designs, and analytic techniques. These include a spectrum of methods, from understanding of various epistemological perspectives on research, to study designs including focus groups and randomized controlled trials, to specific analytic techniques such as longitudinal data analysis. These lists of core and desired books, journals, bibliographic databases, web sites, and other media in the field of health services research methods are intended to serve as guides for librarians and recent health services researchers.

• Key Resources in Health Economics - (National Library of Medicine, National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology)  - Links to a PDF core list of materials (books, journals, websites and bibliographic databases) and a desired list of books and journals in the field of health economics. The lists are primarily geared to individuals who are new to the field or unfamiliar with the various resources on health economics and need to acquire and/or access publications, databases, and websites in the health economics domain.

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Journal Article Databases

• Database of HSR&D Citations - (Health Services Research and Development Service, Veterans Administration (HSR&D))  - Updated monthly, this searchable database contains citations from journals, meetings, conferences, and reports that are credited to VA HSR&D researchers.

• Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) - (Department of Education (ED) USA)  - Online digital library of education research and information. Information on health services research can be found via this resource.

• Genamics Journal Seek - (OCLC New Jersey USA)  - Genamics JournalSeek is a completely categorized database of freely available journal information available on the internet. The database presently contains 94859 titles. Journal information includes the description (aims and scope), journal abbreviation, journal homepage link, subject category and ISSN. JournalSeek does not contain articles or abstracts.

• HSR Article Indexes and Databases - (Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research)  - Links to article indexes and databases.

• ISPOR Outcomes Research Digest - (International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) US)  - Electronic database of research papers presented at ISPOR Annual International Meetings, ISPOR Annual European Congresses, ISPOR Asia-Pacific Conferences, and ISPOR Latin America Conferences from 1998 to date.

• LocatorPlus - (National Library of Medicine (NLM) U.S.)  - Search for books, journals and audiovisuals in the NLM collections.

• National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Journals Database - (National Library of Medicine (NLM) U.S.)  - Journals database for NCBI.

• NLM Gateway - (National Library of Medicine (NLM) U.S.)  - Searches multiple databases for information on meeting abstracts, health services research projects, health-related organizations, journal articles and books.

• PubMed - (National Library of Medicine (NLM) U.S.)  - PubMed comprises more than 20 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books.

• PubMedCentral (PMC) - (National Library of Medicine (NLM) U.S.)  - A digital archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature, providing free access to the full text of articles.

• Specialized Information Services (SIS): Women's Health Resources - (National Institutes of Health (NIH))  - This resource was created in a partnership between the National Library of Medicine Office of Outreach and Special Populations and the National Institutes of Health Office of Research on Women's Health. Using the 2009 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Priorities for Women's Health, health topics, research initiatives and overarching themes were identified. Within each section there are topics with links to resources which were selected based upon their relevance and authority for the specific topic. For example, links to relevant journal citations.

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Journals

• ACP Journal Club - (American College of Physicians (ACP) USA)  - This website comprises a 10-year archive (from 2000 to the present) of the cumulative electronic contents of ACP Journal Club, with recurrent weeding of out-of-date articles. The content is carefully selected from over 100 clinical journals through reliable application of explicit criteria for scientific merit, followed by assessment of relevance to medical practice by clinical specialists.

• Bandolier - (Pain Research Group UK)  - The first issue of Bandolier, an independent journal about evidence-based healthcare, written by Oxford scientists, (RAM AND HJM) was printed in February 1994. It has appeared monthly ever since and has become the premier source of evidence based healthcare information in the UK and worldwide for both healthcare professionals and consumers.

• BMC Health Services Research - (BioMed Central)  - Open access journal publishing original peer-reviewed research articles in all aspects of health services research.

• BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making - (BioMed Central)  - An open access journal publishing original peer-reviewed research articles in relation to the design, development, implementation, use, and evaluation of health information technologies and decision-making within the healthcare setting.

• Government Technology - (U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) US)  - Link to government technology news articles, magazine, and resources.

• Health Affairs - (Project Hope)  - Leading journal of health policy thought and research. The peer-reviewed journal was founded in 1981 under the aegis of Project HOPE, a nonprofit international health education organization. Health Affairs explores health policy issues of current concern in both domestic and international spheres.

• Health Care Financing Review - (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS))  - Subscription journal of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The "Review" seeks to contribute to an improved understanding of the Medicare and Medicaid Programs and the U.S. health care system by presenting information and analyses on a broad range of health care financing and delivery issues.

• Health Economics - Publishes articles on all aspects of health economics: theoretical contributions, empirical studies and analyses of health policy from the economic perspective. Its scope includes the determinants of health and its definition and valuation, as well as the demand for and supply of health care; planning and market mechanisms; micro-economic evaluation of individual procedures and treatments; and evaluation of the performance of health care systems.

• Health Policy and Planning Online - Health Policy and Planning's aim is to improve the design and implementation of health policies in low- and middle-income countries through providing a forum for publishing high quality research and original ideas for an audience of policy and public health researchers and practitioners. HPP is published six times a year (bimonthly) by Oxford University Press.

• Health Services Management Journal - (Royal Society of Medicine Press (RSM))  - Health Services Management Research is a journal providing expert information on all aspects of healthcare management. It examines the real issues confronting health services management, analyses policy initiatives and healthcare systems worldwide and provides evidence-based research to guide management decision making. Being research-based it also provides an independent view, as well as cutting edge information to support management action.

• Health Services Research (HSR) - (AcademyHealth, Health Research and Educational Trust (HRET))  - Published on behalf of Health Research and Educational Trust in cooperation with AcademyHealth.

• Inquiry - (Excellus Health Plan, Inc.)  - The journal of health care organization, provision and financing.

• International Journal for Quality in Health Care - (Oxford University Press UK)  - Publishes papers in all disciplines related to the quality and safety of health care, including health services research, health care evaluation, technology assessment, health economics, utilization review, cost containment, nursing care research, and clinical research.

• International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care - (Cambridge Journals UK)  - Serves as a forum for the wide range of health policy makers and professionals interested in the economic, social, ethical, medical and public health implications of health technology. It covers the development, evaluation, diffusion and use of health technology, as well as its impact on the organization and management of health care systems and public health. In addition to general essays and research reports, regular columns on technology assessment reports and thematic sections are published.

• Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved - (Johns Hopkins University Press (JHUP))  - Focuses exclusively on contemporary health care issues of low-income, under-represented, and other medically underserved communities. JHCPU is the official journal of the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved.

• Journal of Health Management - (Sage US)  - The Journal of Health Management is designed as a forum for exploring major issues of health policy and health management (including population and family welfare) in developing countries with a view to assisting the better implementation of desired changes. It caters to the needs of health policy-makers, health managers, reflective practitioners and action-oriented researchers.

• Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law - (Duke University Press)  - Focuses on the initiation, formulation, and implementation of health policy and analyzes the relations between government and health-past, present, and future.

• Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, vol 31, no 1 Feb 2006, focuses on Comparative Perspectives on Health Disparities - (Duke University Press)  - Focuses on the initiation, formulation, and implementation of health policy and analyzes the relations between government and health-past, present, and future.

• Journal of Health Services Research & Policy - (Royal Society of Medicine Press (RSM))  - An e-journal that explores the ideas, policies, and decisions shaping health services worldwide.

• Kaiser Health News Blog - (Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) US)  - Link to blog, videos, and daily reports. Covers health care policy and politics as well as trends in industry and delivery of care. KHN is a nonprofit news organization committed to in-depth coverage of health care policy and politics.

• Medical Care - official journal of the Medical Care Section of the American Public Health Association; publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

• Medical Care Research and Review - Formerly Medical Care Review, this journal has been a pioneering force in the area of health services research. Carries critical reviews of literature on organizational structure, economics, and the financing of health and medical care systems. Has expanded to reflect the growth of the field and the increasing importance of health services research. Published by Sage.

• Medical Decision Making - (Sage US)  - Medical Decision Making (MDM), the official journal of the Society for Medical Decision Making, publishes articles designed to improve the health and clinical care of individuals and to assist with health policy development. Presenting theoretical, statistical, and modeling methods from a variety of disciplines, including decision psychology, health economics, clinical epidemiology, and evidence synthesis, the journal promotes understanding of human decision-making processes so that individuals can make more informed and satisfying choices regarding their health.

• The Milbank Quarterly - (Milbank Memorial Fund)  - Features peer-reviewed original research, policy review, and analysis, as well as commentary from academics, clinicians, and policymakers

• MMRR - Medicare & Medicaid Research Review - (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS))  - Peer-reviewed, online journal reporting data and research that informs current and future directions of the Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance programs. The journal seeks to examine and evaluate health care coverage, quality and access to care for beneficiaries, and payment for health services.

• Quality and Safety of Health Care - Leading international peer review journal providing information to improve patient safety and quality of care. It is an essential forum for researchers, clinical professionals and managers as well as experts in organisational development and behaviour. Published by BMJ.

• Social Science and Medicine - (Elsevier)  - Provides an international and interdisciplinary forum for the dissemination of research findings, reviews and theory in all areas of common interest to social scientists, health practitioners and policy makers.

• Systematic Reviews - (BioMed Central)  - Systematic Reviews encompasses all aspects of the design, conduct and reporting of systematic reviews. The journal aims to publish high quality systematic review products including systematic review protocols, systematic reviews related to a very broad definition of health, rapid reviews, updates of already completed systematic reviews, and methods research related to the science of systematic reviews, such as decision modeling. The journal also aims to ensure that the results of all well-conducted systematic reviews are published, regardless of their outcome.

• World Medical & Health Policy - (Berkeley Electronic Press US)  - Dedicated to the intersection of politics, policy, medicine, and public health. The mission of World Medical & Health Policy is to publish articles that translate research into policies and practice standards. The journal brings a policy perspective to medical practice, translating empirical evidence into policy recommendations, with special attention to the ethical allocation of scarce resources that can make or break the success of health measures and clinical practices.

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Newsletters

• AcademyHealth Reports Newsletters - (AcademyHealth)  - Links to AcademyHealth Reports newsletters.

• Advances Newsletter - (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))  - A monthly newsletter on RWJF's projects and progress.

• AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness News Newsletter - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - Newsletter producted by the Effective Health Care Program at AHRQ.

• Closing the Disparities Gap in Healthcare Quality With Performance Measurement and Public Reporting - (National Quality Forum (NQF) USA)  - This Issue Brief highlights the challenges the healthcare system faces as a result of disparities in care and summarizes initiatives at the national, regional, and local levels.

• Comparative Effectiveness News - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - Quarterly newsletter produced by the AHRQ Effective Health Care Program, covering the Program's recent activities and new research findings.

• Congressional Budget Office Director's Blog - (Congressional Budget Office (CBO) US)  - Since its founding in 1974, the Congressional Budget Office has produced independent, nonpartisan, timely analysis of economic and budgetary issues to support the Congressional budget process. The agency's long tradition of nonpartisanship is evident in each of the dozens of reports and hundreds of cost estimates its economists and policy analysts produce each year.

• FireceHealthIT - (FierceMarkets US)  - Leading source of Healthcare IT news with a special focus on CPOE, EMR adoption, HIPAA compliance and other critical areas.

• Health Technology Assessment International Newsletter - (Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) Canada)  - International Health Technology Assessment journal that is published quarterly.

• HRET Newsletter - Newsletter produced by Health Research & Educational Trust.

• HSRProj Updates - (AcademyHealth)  - Periodic factsheet highlighting information and analysis on research in the field of health services research (HSR) based on the HSRProj database.

• Local Health Departments in the News - (National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO))  - Ongoing, publicly-available collection of news stories about public health issues facing communities across the nation. News clips are searchable by state or in the following subject areas: budget cuts, County Health Rankings, H1N1, good news and more.

• Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) Statistical Briefs - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - MEPS Statistical Briefs are easy-to-read, quick graphical summaries of MEPS data very much like MEPS Highlights. These statistical brief are only available on the MEPS website.

• National Guideline Clearinghouse Update Service - Subscription Management - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - Free e-mail subscription service that allows users to receive notification by e-mail when new information is available.

• Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) Newsletter - (Health Services Research and Development Service, Veterans Administration (HSR&D))  - Quarterly newsletter containing updates from all QUERI centers as well as citations from recently published articles.

• RAND Research Briefs - (RAND Corporation USA)  - Summaries of various RAND health studies as well as to multiple reports ranging on topics such as evidence-based interventions, measuring quality of care, etc.

• Research Activities Online Newsletter - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - Announcements of Agency products and projects and summaries of research findings from studies supported by AHRQ.

• SAMHSA's Financing Center of Excellence Posts - (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA))  - Newsletters on a variety of topics ranging from health care financing and health care reform to state data and state legislation.

• States in Action - (Commonwealth Fund)  - States in Action is a former State Health Policy and Practices program publication. The archives provide access to issues thru April/May 2011.

• Urban Institute's Health Policy Center Newsletter - (Urban Institute (UI))  - Electronic newsletter by the Health Policy Center at the Urban Institute.

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Reports and Other Publications

• Drugs and Alcohol: Open Access Sources - (Virginia Commonwealth University) - This web portal uses open access initiatives to provide drug abuse prevention, treatment, and policy stakeholders with access to journal articles, monographs, book chapters, conference proceedings, technical manuals, and education and training resources.

• e-Source: Behavioral and Social Science Research - (Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, NIH (OBSSR))  - This website provides access to 20 interactive chapters with authoritative answers to methodological questions on behavioral and social science research. With contributions from a team of international experts, this anthology provides the latest information on addressing emerging challenges in public health.

Annual Reports

• The 2009 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Federal Disability - (Social Security Administration (SSA))  - The Social Security Act requires that the Board, among other duties, report annually to the Congress on the actuarial (financial) status of the OASI and DI Trust Funds. This annual report, for 2009, is the 69th such report.

• 2011 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds - (Social Security Administration (SSA))  - The report presents the current and projected future financial status of the trust funds. Older reports can be accessed as well by typing in year and report title in the search box on the SSA website.

• Boards of Trustees for Medicare Annual Reports - (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS))  - The Medicare Program is the second-largest social insurance program in the U.S., with 47.5 million beneficiaries and total expenditures of $523 billion in 2010. The Boards of Trustees for Medicare (also Boards) report annually to the Congress on the financial operations and actuarial status of the program.

• Key Indicator Systems: Experiences of Other National and Subnational Systems Offer Insights for the United States - (Government Accountability Office (GAO) US)  - This March 2011 report report concludes that key indicator systems are used for multiple purposes and cites "increasing transparency and public awareness; fostering civic engagement and collaboration; and monitoring progress, aiding decision making, and promoting accountability" among the uses of the systems studied. For example, the study found that many systems, particularly ones that have a local focus, incorporate public input in identifying goals and priorities, which in turn influence indicator selection. Systems may facilitate conversations among diverse members of a community about ways to address problems, and may identify problems that were previously unrecognized.

• National Healthcare Quality Report, 2008 - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - In 1999, Congress directed AHRQ to produce an annual report, starting in 2003, on health care quality in the United States (42 U.S.C. 299b2( b)(2)). AHRQ, with support from Department of Health and Human Services and private sector partners, designed and produced the National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR) to respond to this legislative mandate.

Briefs and Case Reports

• AgingStats.gov - (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC (NCHS), National Institute on Aging (NIA))  - provides an updated, accessible compendium of indicators, drawn from the most reliable official statistics about the well-being of Americans primarily age 65 and older. The indicators are categorized into five broad areas-population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors, and health care. The 155-page report contains data on 37 key indicators.

• At the Intersection of Health, Health Care and Policy: the Legislative Battle over Health Services Research - (Health Affairs, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))  - This 1992 essay by BH Gray, published in Health Affairs [11, No.4 (1992):38-66], examines the 1989 legislation that created the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (now known as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality - AHRQ). Political complexities are examined. Additional information is available from http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/11/4/38.

• Data Briefs - (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC (NCHS))  - Data Briefs are statistical publications that provide information about current public health topics in a straightforward format. Each report takes a complex data subject and summarizes it into text and graphics that provide readers with easily comprehensible information in a compact publication.

• Early Releases - (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC (NCHS))  - The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Early Release Program provides very timely estimates of key health and health-related indicators.

• EPC Evidence Reports - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - AHRQ is developing scientific information for other agencies and organizations on which to base clinical guidelines, performance measures, and other quality improvement tools. Contractor institutions 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.

• FastStats A-Z - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics, CDC (NCHS))  - The FastStats site provides quick access to statistics on topics of public health importance and is organized alphabetically. Links are provided to publications that include the statistics presented, to sources of more data, and to related web pages.

• The Health Insurance Provisions of the 2009 Congressional Health Reform Bills: Implications for Coverage, Affordability, and Costs - (Commonwealth Fund)  - This report analyzes the provisions of the health reform bills passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate that seek to expand and improve health insurance coverage.

• Health, United States - (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC (NCHS))  - Annual report on trends in health statistics. The report consists of a chartbook that illustrates major trends in the health of Americans, and a trend tables section of detailed data tables. Refer to Appendix I for data sources.

• HHS Initiative on Multiple Chronic Conditions - (Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) U.S.)  - Link to report, press release, and newsletter on multiple chronic conditions.

• HSR Information Program Reports - (National Library of Medicine (NLM) U.S.)  - Reports and subject bibliographies related to HSR.

• Minority Health Briefs, Webcasts, and Documents - (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF))  - A compilation of Kaiser Family Foundation reports and Web links on various aspects of minority health.

• Publications and Information Products - (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC (NCHS))  - Link to NCHS publications such as data briefs, reports, etc.

• RAND Research Briefs - (RAND Corporation USA)  - Summaries of various RAND health studies as well as to multiple reports ranging on topics such as evidence-based interventions, measuring quality of care, etc.

• UrbanInstitute Report: Premium and Cost-Sharing Subsidies under Health Reform: Implications for Coverage, Costs, and Affordability - (Urban Institute (UI))  - This analysis shows that health care cost burdens can be substantial for those with modest incomes and significant health care needs. It shows how enhanced premium and cost-sharing subsidies could reduce burdens, while increasing overall coverage and government costs.

Cancer-related

• Applied Research Health Services & Economics Branch (HSEB) Publications - (National Cancer Institute, NIH (NCI))  - Lists Health Services and Economics Branch (HSEB) publications by different categories, such as cancer treatment and outcomes.

• Cancer Control & Population Sciences Research on Tailored Messages - (National Cancer Institute, NIH (NCI))  - Presents research on tailored health messages, including the Personally Relevant Information About Screening Mammography (PRISM) project and a bibliography.

• Cancer Control and Population Sciences Web-based Reports - (National Cancer Institute, NIH (NCI))  - Lists links to cancer control and population sciences web-based reports and resources.

• Outcomes Research Publications - (National Cancer Institute, NIH (NCI))  - Lists Outcomes Research Branch publications by year, dating back to 2000.

International

• Health Research Evaluation Frameworks: An International Comparison - (RAND Corporation USA)  - The main part of the report is based upon, and compares, eight international research evaluation frameworks in use: the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) framework; MORIA; PART; the Vinnova; Payback and UK Department of Innovation Universities and Skills (DIUS) frameworks and the frameworks of the European Union and the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs.

Reviews

• AHRQ: Evidence-Based Practice Program - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - Under the Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPC) Program of five-year contracts are awarded to institutions in the United States and Canada to serve as EPCs. The EPCs review all relevant scientific literature on clinical, behavioral, and organization and financing topics to produce evidence reports and technology assessments. These reports are used for informing and developing coverage decisions, quality measures, educational materials and tools, guidelines, and research agendas. The EPCs also conduct research on methodology of systematic reviews.

• Assessing the Potential of National Strategies for Electronic Health Records for Population Health Monitoring and Research - (National Center for Health Statistics, CDC (NCHS))  - The authors review strategies for electronic health records in Australia, Canada, England and New Zealand, and outlines key issues that must be addressed to maximize the contribution of national strategies for Electronic Health Records to population health monitoring and research.

• Developing a Distributed Research Network to Conduct Population-based Studies and Safety Surveillance - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - Addresses the design specifications, such as technical design, key infrastructure components, and organizational structure, for a scalable, distributed health information network and research cooperative required for supporting large-scale, population-based studies.

• Evidence Syntheses and Systematic Evidence Reviews - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - This series was formerly known as Systematic Evidence Reviews (SERs). These are comprehensive reviews of the scientific evidence on the effectiveness of particular clinical preventive services.

• A Guide to Achieving High Performance in Multi-Hospital Health Systems - (Health Research and Educational Trust (HRET))  - Distills the good being done by top-performing health systems into a quick, easily read format

• Health Services Researcher of 2020 Summit Series - (AcademyHealth, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) U.S.)  - AcademyHealth conducted an exploratory study to assess the needs of the field as viewed from multiple perspectives. Based on recommendations from this report, AcademyHealth launched a series of high level meetings on the field's infrastructure needs. The Summits covered the topics of workforce, methods and data, and knowledge transfer.

• PROSPERO: International prospective register of systemic reviews - (National Institute for Health Research (NHS) UK)  - Registration is free and open to anyone undertaking systematic reviews of the effects of interventions and strategies to prevent, diagnose, treat, and monitor health conditions, for which there is a health related outcome.

• Research in Action Syntheses - (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ))  - These syntheses interpret findings from AHRQ-sponsored studies to show how research results can be used in meaningful ways to improve health care.

• Strengthening the Field of Health Services Research: A Needs Assessment of Key Producers and Users - (AcademyHealth, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))  - With support from the Kellogg Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AcademyHealth conducted an exploratory study to assess the needs of the field as viewed from multiple perspectives. The report highlights the shared concern of multiple stakeholders that there is diminishing support for the field's basic infrastructure.

State-specific

• The Health Information Security and Privacy Collaboration (HISPC) Reports on State Law, Business Practices, and Policy Variations - (Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) U.S.)  - Conducted during 2009 as part of HISPC, this compendium of five reports detail variations in state law, business practices and policy related to privacy and security and the electronic exchange of health information.

• Health Services Research as a Source of Legisltative Analysis and Input: The Role of the California Health Benefits Review Program - Article examining the role of the California Health Benefits Review Program as a source of information in state health policy making.

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