(a) In general
The Director, through the Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (referred to in this section as the "Center"), shall award—
(1) technical assistance grants or contracts to eligible entities to provide technical support to institutions that deliver health care and health care providers (including rural and urban providers of services and suppliers with limited infrastructure and financial resources to implement and support quality improvement activities, providers of services and suppliers with poor performance scores, and providers of services and suppliers for which there are disparities in care among subgroups of patients) so that such institutions and providers understand, adapt, and implement the models and practices identified in the research conducted by the Center, including the Quality Improvement Networks Research Program; and
(2) implementation grants or contracts to eligible entities to implement the models and practices described under paragraph (1).
(b) Eligible entities
(1) Technical assistance award
To be eligible to receive a technical assistance grant or contract under subsection (a)(1), an entity—
(A) may be a health care provider, health care provider association, professional society, health care worker organization, Indian health organization, quality improvement organization, patient safety organization, local quality improvement collaborative, the Joint Commission, academic health center, university, physician-based research network, primary care extension program established under section
280g–12 of this title, a Federal Indian Health Service program or a health program operated by an Indian tribe (as defined in section
1603 of title 25), or any other entity identified by the Secretary; and
(B) shall have demonstrated expertise in providing information and technical support and assistance to health care providers regarding quality improvement.
(2) Implementation award
To be eligible to receive an implementation grant or contract under subsection (a)(2), an entity—
(A) may be a hospital or other health care provider or consortium or 1 providers, as determined by the Secretary; and
(B) shall have demonstrated expertise in providing information and technical support and assistance to health care providers regarding quality improvement.
(c) Application
(1) Technical assistance award
To receive a technical assistance grant or contract under subsection (a)(1), an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing—
(A) a plan for a sustainable business model that may include a system of—
(i) charging fees to institutions and providers that receive technical support from the entity; and
(ii) reducing or eliminating such fees for such institutions and providers that serve low-income populations; and
(B) such other information as the Director may require.
(2) Implementation award
To receive a grant or contract under subsection (a)(2), an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing—
(A) a plan for implementation of a model or practice identified in the research conducted by the Center including—
(i) financial cost, staffing requirements, and timeline 2 for implementation; and
(ii) pre- and projected post-implementation quality measure performance data in targeted improvement areas identified by the Secretary; and
(B) such other information as the Director may require.
(d) Matching funds
The Director may not award a grant or contract under this section to an entity unless the entity agrees that it will make available (directly or through contributions from other public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward the activities to be carried out under the grant or contract in an amount equal to $1 for each $5 of Federal funds provided under the grant or contract. Such non-Federal matching funds may be provided directly or through donations from public or private entities and may be in cash or in-kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services.
(e) Evaluation
(1) In general
The Director shall evaluate the performance of each entity that receives a grant or contract under this section. The evaluation of an entity shall include a study of—
(A) the success of such entity in achieving the implementation, by the health care institutions and providers assisted by such entity, of the models and practices identified in the research conducted by the Center under section
299b–33 of this title;
(B) the perception of the health care institutions and providers assisted by such entity regarding the value of the entity; and
(C) where practicable, better patient health outcomes and lower cost resulting from the assistance provided by such entity.
(2) Effect of evaluation
Based on the outcome of the evaluation of the entity under paragraph (1), the Director shall determine whether to renew a grant or contract with such entity under this section.
(f) Coordination
The entities that receive a grant or contract under this section shall coordinate with health information technology regional extension centers under section
300jj–32(c) of this title and the primary care extension program established under section
280g–12 of this title regarding the dissemination of quality improvement, system delivery reform, and best practices information.