Each year, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and AcademyHealth recognize outstanding research that used HCUP databases. AHRQ reviews submitted articles that have been published in peer-reviewed journals during the previous calendar year and has awarded the winning authors of those articles at the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting. Work honored demonstrated how HCUP has contributed to addressing healthcare research topics and issues.

The call for nominations usually occurs in February and March of the following calendar year. Announcements are posted on the HCUP-US website. The call for nominations for articles published in 2020 has closed. Winners were announced during the 2021 AcademyHealth Virtual Annual Research Meeting in June.

This year marks the 12th year of the annual HCUP Outstanding Article of the Year Award. Since the inception of this award in 2010, when outstanding articles from 2009 were selected, AHRQ has recognized exceptional research conducted using the HCUP databases in the clinical and health policy arenas. This research continues to enhance the public conversation about healthcare costs, outcomes, and trends. Over the years, the award has grown into a distinguished honor among health services researchers with a variety of clinical insights, economic interests, and policy backgrounds. AHRQ is proud of the important work being done with HCUP data and is excited to see what researchers nominate for each year's award.

Contents:

• Article Criteria
• How to Apply
• Selection of Winners
• Recognition
• Archive of Award Recipients

All nominations must have used an HCUP database and been published in a peer-reviewed journal during the previous calendar year and demonstrate that their work excels in these core criteria:

• Originality of the use of HCUP data
• Quality and suitability of methods and research design for HCUP data
• Policy or clinical relevance
• Significance, implication, and translation of research

Articles may be on any subject that can be investigated using HCUP data. Topic examples include:

• Clinical innovations and/or medical practice enhancements
• Advancements in the understanding of a condition or procedure
• New or alternative research design approaches in viewing outcomes
• Contributions to understanding the health services field through data linkages or enhancements
• Characteristics of a healthcare market or the U.S. healthcare system
• Identification of healthcare practices (or changes in practices and behavior) within or across a population
• Impact of changes in healthcare behavior or policy
• Improvements on the understanding of healthcare policy initiatives
• Demonstrations of how research can be translated in to policy practice

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Researchers may self-nominate or be nominated by another individual (e.g., a colleague of the author or authors). One nomination per author/individual/research group will be accepted. For those nominating an individual, please notify the author.

During nomination periods, a Nomination Form will be available here.

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All applications are reviewed by an internal AHRQ and AcademyHealth HCUP Award Committee. Award recipients will be chosen based on the criteria outlined above.

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Winners are recognized at AcademyHealth's Annual Research Meeting.

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For a complete listing of previous Award recipients, please see Archive of Award Recipients.

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