AHRQ Awarded for Work To Reduce Diagnostic Errors

On November 12, the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM), presented The 2019 Champion for Better Diagnosis Award to AHRQ Director Gopal Khanna, M.B.A., and Director of AHRQ's Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, Jeffrey Brady, M.D., M.P.H., for the Agency's ongoing work to reduce diagnostic errors.

The award was presented during a luncheon at SIDM's Diagnostic Error in Medicine 12th Annual International Conference held in Washington, DC.

According to Improving Diagnosis in Health Care

, a National Academy of Medicine report partially funded by AHRQ, inaccurate, or delayed diagnoses affect nearly 1 in 20 U.S. adults every year. Last month, Director Khanna identified reducing diagnostic errors as one of the Agency's three strategic priorities.

"That action clearly marks a watershed moment for our community," said Paul Epner, M.B.A., SIDM's Chief Executive Officer. "We want to thank and honor not only Gopal's and Jeff's leadership, but the entire team at AHRQ. Our gratitude to all of you."

AHRQ's current research projects on diagnostic safety involve new or existing analytic processes to study the incidence, associated factors, and early indicators of diagnostic errors. Research results will inform future development and testing of strategies and interventions to reduce diagnostic errors