Improving Health Care and Palliative Care for Advanced and Serious Illness

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), through its Evidencebased Practice Centers (EPCs), sponsors the development of evidence reports and technology assessments to assist publicand private-sector organizations in their efforts to improve the quality of health care in the United States. The reports and assessments provide organizations with comprehensive, science-based information on common, costly medical conditions and new health care technologies. The EPCs systematically review the relevant scientific literature on topics assigned to them by AHRQ and conduct additional analyses when appropriate prior to developing their reports and assessments. AHRQ expects that the EPC evidence reports and technology assessments will inform individual health plans, providers, and purchasers as well as the health care system as a whole by providing important information to help improve health care quality. The full report and this summary are available at www.effectivehealthcare. ahrq.gov/reports/final.cfm. Background