Yesterday, the ECRI Institute announced that it will continue to provide access to the resources of the National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC). The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) shut down the NGC on July 17 due to lack of funding.
Since 1998, the NGC has provided a centralized repository of evidence-based information on clinical practice guidelines. It was created by AHRQ in partnership with the American Medical Association and American Association of Health Plans and maintained by the ECRI Institute which supported the development, identification, and evaluation of the clinical practice guidelines housed in the NGC. It is reported that about 200,000 health professionals access these trustworthy guidelines each month to support patient care.
ECRI has announced that an interim website will launch this fall. Plans are underway to create value added features that will be available in the future.
Additional information can be accessed at:
ECRI Institute to Continue Clinical Guideline Work Shuttered by Federal Government, ECRI Institute, July 17, 2018
Government Shuts Down Website for Doctors Searching for Treatment Guidelines, CNN, July 17, 2018
AHRQ Clearinghouse Shut Down Direct Result of Previous Cuts, Sequestration and Caps, AcademyHealth, July 16, 2018
Announcement that NGC will no longer be available after July 16, 2018, AHRQ, April 23, 2018