2013 National Healthcare Quality Report

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released its annual report on progress and opportunities for improving health care quality and reducing health care disparities. This report focuses on national trends in the quality of health care provided to the American people and the prevailing disparities in health care delivery as it relates to racial factors and socioeconomic factors. It is important to note that the report provides a snapshot of health care prior to implementation of most of the health insurance expansions and consumer protections included in the ACA and serves as a baseline against which to track progress in upcoming years. This year’s report also provides expanded analyses of people with disabilities, including children with special health care needs and adults with multiple chronic conditions.