Four Pillars for Sustainable Centers of Excellence

Changemakers have established Centers of Excellence (CEs) within health systems as hubs for research and innovation to improve health care delivery.  CEs are often led by researchers who strive to create structures for translating evidence into best practices and embedding those practices into standards of care.  Each CE faces the challenge of ensuring the sustainability of its work.  The issue brief, Four Pillars for Sustainable Centers of Excellence, was developed to support AHRQ’s Diagnostic Center of Excellence grantees in shaping their sustainability plans.  It provides recommendations, examples, and success stories from effective CEs that can benefit any type of CE.  These recommendations offer four pillars of sustainability: Alignment, Integration, Leadership Support, and Windows of Opportunity.

Exploration of Foundational Terminology and Paradigms for Improving Diagnosis

The evolution of terminology about diagnostic improvement in healthcare is dominated by three paradigms: quality, safety, and diagnostic excellence.  Each term is influenced by historical context, tools, goals, and perspectives, with terms and definitions that are multifaceted and reflective—much like a prism.  Exploration of Foundational Terminology and Paradigms for Improving Diagnosis examines different terminology and perspectives and offers questions that can help define which terms and definitions are most suitable for discussions about diagnosis.  There isn’t one definition for all circumstances or perspectives; rather many lenses, depending on the paradigm, orientation, and intent, through which to view diagnosis and its improvement.

Understanding the AI Wave: Foundational Knowledge for Improving Diagnosis and Beyond

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant prospect—it is transforming healthcare delivery, diagnosis, and clinical decision making.  As AI becomes increasingly embedded across the care continuum, uncertainty about how to safely and effectively integrate AI tools is rising quickly.  Understanding the AI Wave: Foundational Knowledge for Improving Diagnosis and Beyond demystifies core AI concepts and offers real-world examples to build foundational understanding.  Grounded in evidence and informed by lessons from other high-risk industries, this issue brief provides practical, actionable guidance for healthcare leaders, clinicians, and patients.  This resource supports all stakeholders—whether they are making decisions about AI adoption, using AI tools in clinical practice, or seeking to understand AI’s role in care delivery—in navigating AI thoughtfully while safeguarding quality and safety, improving efficiency, and maintaining patient trust.