Health Services Research Key to Achieving President's Goals; Coalition for Health Services Research Response to State of Union

1/21/2004

From: Kari Root of AcademyHealth, 202-292-6721

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 -- The following is a statement by W. David Helms, Ph.D., president of the Coalition for Health Services Research and AcademyHealth on the State of the Union Address:

"Last night, President Bush discussed the importance of patient safety, reducing health care costs, and expanding access to health coverage. Health services research is dedicated to improving the health care system by addressing these very issues. Without this important research, recent efforts to prevent medical errors, provide prescription drug coverage for seniors, and improve the nation's public health system would not have been possible.

America's health and well-being depends on the knowledge generated by health services research. We urge President Bush to increase funding in his FY 2005 Budget for those agencies that conduct this critical work."

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For one-page fact sheets on how health services research has affected policy, visit http://www.academyhealth.org/connectingthedots/impacts.htm or call Kari Root at 202-292-6721.

The Coalition for Health Services Research advocates enhanced funding and policy initiatives for health services research in support of the priorities of AcademyHealth, a Washington, D.C.- based health research and policy center. AcademyHealth also serves as the professional home to more than 3,700 health services researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.