National Level Program Data Research Opportunities

The American Heart Association’s® (AHA) Get With The Guidelines® (GWTG) is a hospital-based quality improvement program designed to close treatment gaps. It includes modules in atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, heart failure, resuscitation and stroke.

The AHA collects millions of patient records in our Quality Programs, creating vast databases for advancing scientific research. Using the data that are collected through AHA's national GWTG programs, researchers can develop study questions and submit a proposal to conduct an investigator-led research project.

AHA’s Quality Programs Research has been a highly valuable source for quality outcomes-based research, with more than 600 peer-reviewed studies published using these data. 

Search the Get With The Guidelines Research Database

NOTE: Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation follows a different analytic model. Learn about the details of the program and the publications using Get With The Guidelines - Resuscitation Research

Standard Research Proposal:

  • Hypothesis-driven study is developed within the context of data acquired through AHA's Get With The Guidelines program.
  • Avoid developing a proposal that has overlap with any published scientific research, including GWTG Publications.
  • Complete the Research Proposal Form (Document)  completely with details and suggested tables and charts for the proposed study.
  • Submit completed proposal form to [email protected] by submission deadlines listed below.
  • Note: Proposals that can bring their own funding will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and have no submission deadline.

Submission Deadlines:

  • Rolling call for self-analysis projects on the AHA Precision Medicine Platform.
  • 2024 Spring proposal cycle for AHA-funded analysis at AHA's approved analytics vendor.
    • Feb 15 - CAD
    • March 15 - HF, AFIB
    • April 15 - Stroke
  • Oct 16 for AHA Early Career Investigator Database Seed Grant submissions (see link for more info).

Proposals review:

  • There will be a competitive review process and proposals will be rated on the basis of scientific merit, feasibility, and novel contribution to the scientific literature. 
  • Projects not selected but feasible may be revised and resubmitted for up to 2 subsequent cycles.

Accepted Projects:

  • Lead authors must be active AHA members.
  • International investigators will need to complete the American Heart Association's international due diligence process. 
  • Project will be investigator-led with intent to develop a draft manuscript for peer-reviewed journals. 
  • Datasets are not released.
  • Expert GWTG program physician-scientist volunteers will provide mentorship, and AHA staff will provide guidance and support.

Additional Information

To submit and manage your research proposal or perform assigned reviews on submitted proposals please visit the Quality Improvement Research Proposals page for step by step instructions. 

Data Elements Collected by Program

See the National-Level Quality Program Data Publications Policy for additional details.

Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisors. See our editorial policies and staff.

Last Reviewed: Feb 22, 2023