Improving Quality of Care and Patient Outcomes During Care Transitions (R01) | PA 20 068

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the name of this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Improving Quality of Care and Patient Outcomes During Care Transitions (R01)."

2) Which agency is offering this grant?

The Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) is offering this discretionary research grant opportunity.

3) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this announcement?

The Funding Opportunity Number is PA 20 068.

4) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 93.226.

5) What type of funding instrument is being offered?

The funding instrument type is a grant.

6) What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category is health.

7) What mechanism does this FOA use (and what does that imply)?

This FOA uses an R01 mechanism, and it is looking for robust, methodologically sound studies that rigorously test promising interventions (rather than only describing problems or presenting purely exploratory concepts).

8) What is the main purpose of this FOA?

The FOA supports health services research projects that test interventions designed to improve communication and coordination when patients move between care settings or care teams, with the goal of producing strong evidence about what works to make transitions safer and more effective.

9) What is meant by "care transitions" in this announcement?

Care transitions refer to patients moving between care settings or providers, such as from hospital to home, hospital to skilled nursing facilities, or between different clinical teams and providers.

10) Why are care transitions a focus area for research?

Care transitions are described as high-risk moments because information can be lost, responsibilities can be unclear, follow-up plans may not be completed, and medication or treatment changes can be misunderstood.

11) What kind of projects does AHRQ want to fund under this FOA?

AHRQ is seeking projects that go beyond describing problems and instead rigorously test interventions aimed at improving communication and coordination during transitions of care.

12) Does this FOA support purely descriptive studies?

Based on the provided information, the FOA emphasizes research that goes beyond describing problems and focuses on rigorously testing interventions. That suggests purely descriptive studies would not align with the stated intent.

13) What does the FOA mean by "promising interventions"?

In practical terms, "promising interventions" are approaches that can be rigorously evaluated using credible designs in real-world health care settings, rather than early-stage ideas that are not yet ready for strong impact testing.

14) What study designs are implied to be a good fit for this FOA?

The FOA implies the use of rigorous evaluation approaches such as controlled trials, well-constructed quasi-experimental designs, or other methodologically sound designs appropriate to real-world health care settings.

15) What outcomes or impacts should projects be positioned to assess?

Projects should be positioned to assess whether an intervention improves coordination processes (for example, handoffs, discharge planning, information transfer, and accountability) and whether those improvements lead to meaningful patient-centered outcomes, improved patient outcomes, and improved quality of care.

16) What are examples of coordination processes mentioned in the FOA?

Examples listed include handoffs, discharge planning, information transfer, and accountability.

17) What kinds of transition settings are specifically mentioned?

The FOA specifically mentions transitions such as hospital to home, hospital to skilled nursing facilities, and transitions between different clinical teams and providers.

18) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organizations and governments. Examples include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) IRS status (with the noted limitation that certain nonprofit categories must not be institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other organizations as allowed by the FOA.

19) Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. The announcement explicitly notes that faith-based or community-based organizations are included among eligible applicant types.

20) Are federal government agencies eligible?

Yes. The announcement explicitly notes eligible federal government agencies among additional eligible applicant types.

21) Are minority-serving institutions (MSIs) eligible to apply?

Yes. The FOA explicitly references a range of minority-serving institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs).

22) Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?

Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are included among the entities that may apply.

23) Are regional organizations eligible?

Yes. Regional organizations are mentioned as included among the entities that may apply.

24) Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?

No. The FOA states that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply.

25) Can a U.S. organization apply if the work will be carried out by a non-U.S. component?

No. The FOA explicitly states that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.

26) Why is there potential confusion about foreign eligibility in the text?

The provided information notes that while foreign organizations appear in an "other eligible applicants" list, the FOA then explicitly states that foreign institutions are not eligible and that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. The practical takeaway given is that the applicant must be domestic and the supported work must not be carried out through non-U.S. organizational components.

27) When was this FOA created?

The FOA was created on 2019-12-04.

28) What is the original closing date listed for this opportunity?

An original closing date listed is 2022-12-06.

29) Does the provided information list an award ceiling?

No. The provided source data does not specify an award ceiling.

30) Does the provided information state the expected number of awards?

No. The provided source data does not specify the expected number of awards.

31) Does the provided information include budget expectations or project period limits?

No. The provided information says applicants would need to consult the full FOA text for budget expectations, project period limits, review criteria, and any specific topic priorities or required outcome measures.

32) What is the overarching goal of the research supported by this FOA?

The overarching goal is to build practical, generalizable evidence for interventions that make transitions of care more coordinated and communicative, thereby making care safer and improving patient outcomes and quality of care.