(AHRQ: Washington) -- An online tool recently released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality condenses 129 quality measures into state-specific data that state governments can use to focus their efforts to improve health care.
The AHRQ State Snapshot tool allows state officials see where quality improvement efforts are succeeding, as well as where more resources and attention are needed. Each state’s quality improvement organization (QIO) can then help state officials target areas for greater improvement in health care quality.

“This online tool will help a governor, state legislator, or health department chief track progress in closing quality gaps that harm the public health and cut productivity in their state,” says David Schulke, executive vice president of the American Health Quality Association. “There’s a QIO in every state and territory that can help them understand those gaps and work to narrow them.”

AHQA is the association representing QIOs, a national network of state-based organizations that provide hands-on assistance to local health care providers and entities to help them improve the health care system.

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