Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Created in 1989 and headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, the agency’s mission is to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all U.S. citizens. The AHRQ’s cutting-edge research helps people make more informed decisions and improve the quality of healthcare services. AHRQ focuses on the following areas of research: healthcare costs and utilization, information technology, disaster preparedness, medication safety, healthcare consumerism, prevention of illness, and special-needs populations. The AHRQ has a National Partnership Network, which includes over 600 federal, state, and local health agencies, health professional groups, patient and caregiver advocacy groups, health systems, and businesses committed to improving the quality of health care through informed decision making. These organizations support the AHRQ’s efforts to share evidence-based resources with patients and caregivers, health professionals, and others in their communities ( AHRQ, 2016 ).
Indian Health Service (IHS)
Established in 1921 and headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, the mission of IHS is to raise the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level. Also part of its mission is to ensure that comprehensive, culturally acceptable personal and public health services are available and accessible to American Indian and Alaska Native people. It also is responsible for promoting American Indian and Alaska Native communities and cultures and for honoring and protecting the inherent sovereign rights of these people. The IHS provides a comprehensive health-service-delivery system for approximately 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who belong to 566 federally recognized tribes. Twelve area IHS sites provide services to constituents ( IHS, 2016 ).