AHRQ consumer campaign needs something

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has brought back its “Questions are the Answer” commercials that first surfaced in 2007 and related advertising outreach intended to help consumers take more control over their care. Over the weekend, I saw a poster-sized billboard on a Chicago sidewalk that I wish I had taken a picture of. I’ve also seen a commercial or two on TV recently.

While it’s a good idea to reach out to consumers and provide them with helpful information such as a list of 10 questions to ask when making care decisions, something seems to be missing. I’m thinking AHRQ needs a more memorable, easier-to-remember URL than the one listed on the ads: www.ahrq.gov. I’d be surprised if anyone outside healthcare or government has even heard of AHRQ or would remember that Web address.

Marketing people, it’s time to get to work.