Submit a Suggestion for Research

Before you get started

When you submit a suggestion for research, you are nominating a potential topic for future research reviews or original research reports conducted by the Effective Health Care Program (see Who Is Involved in the Effective Health Care Program). You may read more about how to suggest a topic for research or learn about how suggested research is chosen. You may also read research topics that were suggested by others or view an example of a completed topic nomination form. Your suggested topic as well as responses to the nomination questions, except personal identification information, will be posted for others to view in the Read Suggested Topics for Research section of the EHC Web site as well. If you are interested in submitting topics for research funding, please go to Funding Opportunities.

To nominate a topic for research in the Program

Please fill in the form below as completely as possible and click on "submit" at the end. If you prefer, you may fill out the rich text format (rtf) version of the form, which can be edited in any text-editing program (e.g., MS Word, Wordpad), and e-mail the completed form to effectivehealthcare@ahrq.hhs.gov, or you may print out the completed form and mail it to:

Christel Villarivera, MS
AHRQ Effective Health Care Program
c/o The Lewin Group
3130 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 500
Falls Church, VA 22042
E-mail: christel.villarivera@lewin.com

If you have any supporting documents you would like to include with your nomination, you can include them (if mailing), send them as additional attachments (if e-mailing), or you can upload them while submitting the online form. All topic nominations, including those submitted on paper, will appear in the read suggested topics for research section.

Topic Nomination

Briefly describe a specific question, or set of related questions, about a health care test or treatment that this program should consider.
Examples:

• For patients with low bone density, what is the comparative effectiveness of exercise versus drug therapy to treat or prevent osteoporosis?
• For adult patients with a major depressive disorder (MDD), what are the comparative risks and benefits of older versus newer antidepressants?
• In patients with cystic fibrosis, what is the effectiveness of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in improving intermediate health outcomes, such as pulmonary function and nutritional status?

Does your question include a comparison of different health care approaches? (If no, your topic will still be considered.) Yes No

If yes, explain the specific technologies, devices, drugs, or interventions you would like to see compared.

Examples:

• Calcium versus biphosphonates for the prevention of vertebral fractures
• Core-needle biopsy versus open surgical biopsy for diagnosing breast lesions
• Antireflux medication versus diet and exercise for the control of acid reflux symptoms

What patients or group(s) of patients does your question apply to? (Please include specific details such as age range, gender, coexisting diagnoses, and indications for therapy.) Are there subgroups of patients that your question might apply to? (For example, an ethnic group, stage or severity of a disease.) Describe the health-related benefits you are interested in. (For example, improvements in patient symptoms or problems from treatment or diagnosis.) Describe any health-related risks, side effects, or harms that you are concerned about.

Appropriateness for Effective Health Care Program

Does your question include a health care drug, intervention, device, or technology available (or likely to be available) in the U.S.? Yes No Unsure
Which priority area(s) and population(s) does this topic apply to? (Check all that apply.)

Effective Health Care Priority Conditions (Updated in 2008)
Arthritis and nontraumatic joint disorders
Cancer
Cardiovascular disease, including stroke and hypertension
Dementia, including Alzheimer's disease
Depression and other mental health disorders
Developmental delays, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism
Diabetes mellitus
Functional limitations and disability
Infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS
Obesity
Peptic ulcer disease and dyspepsia
Pregnancy, including preterm birth
Pulmonary disease/asthma
Substance abuse

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Priority Populations
Low income groups
Minority groups
Women
Children
Elderly
Individuals with special health care needs, including individuals with disabilities or who need chronic care or end-of-life health care

Federal Health Care Program
Medicaid
Medicare
State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
Other

Importance

Describe why this topic is important. What specifically motivated you to ask this question? (For example, you are developing a clinical guideline, working with a policy with large uncertainty about the appropriate approach, costly intervention, new research you have read, items in the media you may have seen, a clinical practice dilemma you know of, etc.)
Does your question represent uncertainty for clinicians and/or policy-makers? (For example, variations in clinical care, controversy in what constitutes appropriate clinical care, or a policy decision.)
Yes No
If yes, please explain:
Uncertainty Information

Potential Impact

How will an answer to your research question be used or help inform decisions for you or your group?
Usefulness of Question for Decision-Making
Describe the timeframe in which an answer to your question is needed.
Timeframe for Answer
Describe any health disparities, inequities, or impact on vulnerable populations your question applies to.
Describe Health Disparities

Technical Experts and Stakeholders

Are there health care-focused, disease-focused, or patient-focused organizations or technical experts that you see as being relevant to this issue? Who do you think we should contact as we consider your nomination? This information will not influence the progress of your suggestion through the selection process, but it may be helpful to those considering your suggestion for further development.

List Organizations List Individual Experts

Examples

• American Heart Association and American College of Cardiologists
• Mental Health America
• Association of American Indian Physicians
• Depression and Related Affective Disorders Association
• Gerontological Society of America
• National Lipid Association

Supporting Document

Upload Document:
(Select "Browse..." to upload a file. Only *.DOCX, *.DOC, *.XLSX, *.XLS, or *.PDF files can be uploaded. Limit size is 50MBs.)

Title or Short Description: Comments or Notes About This File

Nominator Information

In order to help us to understand the context of your health care question, it would be helpful to know more about you. The answers you give will not influence the progress of your suggestion. Choose a description that best describes your role or perspective (you may select more than one):

Patient/Consumer
Physician
Nurse/Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant
Pharmacist
Other Health Care Professional
Professional Society
Public Policy-Maker/Legislator
Continuous Quality Improvement Group
Health Benefits Plan/Insurance Carrier
Administrator (Hospital or Other)
Health Care Payer/Purchaser (Employer, Federal Government)
Health Care Industry (Device, Drug, or Other Manufacturer)
Researcher
Other

Describe Your Role

Are you making a suggestion as an individual or on behalf of an organization?
Individual Organization

If an organization, please state the name of the organization (optional): Organization You Represent

Please tell us how you heard about the Effective Health Care program (optional): How you heard about the Effective Health Care program

Your name and contact information (optional):
Your personal identification will not be displayed in the Read Suggested Topics for Research section of the Web site, nor will it influence your nomination for Effective Health Care Program research. It will only be used to contact you for additional information about your nomination if necessary. It is not mandatory that you provide your contact information, but it is often helpful for us to contact the nominator when we need clarification about a research question. If you would like to receive an e-mail confirmation containing this topic nomination, please enter your e-mail address below.

Your First Name:
Your Last Name: Your Title:
Your Organization:
Your E-mail Address:
Confirm Your E-mail Address:

May we contact you if we have questions about your nomination? Yes No

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