HHS deletes medical guidelines resource after funding cuts
The National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC), guideline.gov, has been terminated after funding to support the resource ended Monday, July 16.
NGC provided free access to clinical guidelines as a one-stop shop for doctors and other healthcare professionals determining the best care plans for patients.
The resource was created in 1998 by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) with the American Medical Association and the American Association of Health Plans, though that partnership ended in 2002.
“In addition to being the go-to place for users to find comprehensive clinical guidelines that meet the clearinghouse's stringent inclusion criteria free of charge, the NGC also provides structured summaries of many of the guidelines, providing a valuable service to primary care physicians and other health care professionals seeking quick, easily digestible information,” the American Academy of Family Physicians described the resource.
The website shut down after budget cuts to HHS. AHRQ is a sub-agency of HHS, which had earmarked $1.4 million to fund NGC in 2017, and it maintained about 200,000 visitors per month, CNN reported.
While NGC won’t be supported by HHS funding, the website’s closure has led to other possible funding routes, AHRQ stated in an announcement.
“AHRQ is exploring options to support the NGC in the future and will continue to do so even while the site remains offline,” the agency stated.
One possible new stakeholder in NGC could be nonprofit organization ECRI Institute, which has contracted with the federal government to run NGC since its inception, according to AAFP.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."