In 2004, the Health Future Foundation (HFF) award was used to initiate the Creighton Health Services Research Program (CHRP). CHRP was designed to promote and sustain health services research at Creighton University and is housed in the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions. CHRP was launched after completion of a multi-year, federally funded grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) (R18-HS11808-01) field research study exploring ambulatory care and patient safety. HFF funding provided substantial support for the CHRP infrastructure from start up through the third year.
Faculty examine issues related to patient safety and quality in health care, including new and emerging technological influences on safety, the effects of health care financing, relationship or pharmaceutical costs and treatments, social and behavioral influences on care, access and disparities issues, and models of care delivery.
On March 1, 2006, CHRP received funding of just under $500,000 from the AHRQ (1-P20HS015816-01) for the highly competitive two-year Building Research Infrastructure Capacity (BRIC) grant. That award provided funds for the continuation and expansion of existing programs and the development of key faculty members associated with the project.
The combination of the HFF award and the AHRQ BRIC grant provided needed monies to help expand existing programs and offered future opportunities for new research initiatives through building across University, community and organizational relationships.
In 2008, Health Future Foundations (HFF) bridge support was awarded to CHRP to continue the integration and development of core health sciences faculty and the respective ongoing programs. The award also strategically supported short-term sustainability of CHRP while faculty pursued external research funding and external sources to continue development of the health services research program.
On September 30, 2009, CHRP received funding of $1,500,000 from AHRQ (R24-HS18625-01) for the three-year Research Infrastructure Development Support grant. The award provides funds to continue development of faculty, expansion of CHRP to a Research Center, and development of research management skills for project directors and interdisciplinary research teams.
In November 2009, the Creighton Health Services Research Program officially became the Center for Health Services Research and Patient Safety.