Washington, April 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On April 2, 2019, URAC joined the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC), the Council for Academic Family Medicine (CAFM) and more than 20 of the nation’s leading health care organizations in calling for Congress to fund the Center for Primary Care Research (CPCR) at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
The two dozen organizations sent a letter to Congressional Appropriators requesting $5 million for FY2020 be dedicated to the CPCR. The letter emphasizes that appropriate funding for the CPCR will improve coordination and emphasize the need for expanded primary care research. Since 1999, the CPCR has been part of AHRQ but it does not receive dedicated funding from Congress to conduct the essential research needed to support the complex and multifaceted discipline of primary care.
“As a previously practicing family medicine physician, I know first hand the important role primary care plays in quality outcomes for patients and the impact primary care has on the health of a community,” said Shawn Griffin, M.D., President and CEO of URAC. “As our delivery system transitions to value-based payment, primary care is the lynchpin to financial success and improved patient care for many of the emerging payment models. It is critical that Congress fully fund research that continues to promote and advance primary care in our communities.”
Read the letter HERE.
About URAC
Founded in 1990, URAC is the independent leader in advancing healthcare quality through leadership, accreditation, measurement and innovation. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs that reflect the latest changes in healthcare and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to showcase their validated commitment to quality and accountability. URAC uses evidence-based measures and develops standards through inclusive engagement with a broad range of stakeholders committed to improving the quality of healthcare. For more information, visit urac.org.