Improving Patient Safety through Simulation Research (R18)

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Purpose. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is interested in funding a diverse set of projects that develop, test and evaluate various simulation approaches for the purpose of improving the safe delivery of health care. Simulation in health care predominately is a training technique that exposes individuals and teams to realistic clinical challenges through the use of mannequins, task trainers, virtual reality, or standardized patients, and allows participants to experience in real-time the consequences of their decisions and actions. The principal advantage of simulation is that it provides a safe environment for health care practitioners to acquire valuable experience without putting patients at risk. Simulation also can be used as a test-bed to improve clinical processes and to identify failure modes or other areas of concern in new procedures and technologies that might otherwise be unanticipated and serve as threats to patient safety. Applications that address a variety of clinical settings are sought. Mechanism of Support. This FOA will utilize the AHRQ Research Demonstration and Dissemination Projects (R18) award mechanism. The individual researcher, sponsored by his or her organization, will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project. Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards. AHRQ intends to commit up to $4.2 million total costs to support up to 10-12 new grants. Awards issued under this FOA are contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. The total amount awarded and the number of awards will depend upon the number, quality, duration, and costs of the applications received.

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