AHRQ has developed several programs and tools that are crucial for epidemiological research:
Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP): This is a family of healthcare databases and related software tools developed through a Federal-State-Industry partnership. HCUP provides detailed information on hospitalizations and is widely used in epidemiological studies. Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS): MEPS is a set of surveys of families and individuals, their medical providers, and employers across the United States. It provides data on the cost and use of healthcare and health insurance coverage, which are essential for epidemiological analysis. Quality Indicators (QIs): These are standardized, evidence-based measures of healthcare quality that can be used with readily available hospital inpatient administrative data. QIs are crucial for measuring and improving healthcare quality.
