In September 2002, RAND contracted with the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to serve as the evaluation center for its national patient safety initiative. This report assesses the context and goals that were the foundation for the initiative, documents the baseline status of the activities being undertaken, and identifies priorities the researchers believe will have the strongest positive impact on the future of AHRQ's patient safety initiative.

Comprehensive and reliable statistics are crucial for policy formulation in any region or country. The Kurdistan Region--Iraq is hampered by the lack of such statistics as it aims to improve infrastructure, encourage private-sector development, attract foreign investment, and create a sustainable economy. This volume examines how the Kurdistan Regional Government can assemble the core elements of a quality data system.