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

Call for Stroke Data Proposals

We are hosting a data challenge to encourage cross collaboration among researchers to deepen our understanding of the impact of social and structural determinants of health on stroke. This data challenge is funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

More Information

Standard Research Proposal:

Hypothesis-driven study is developed within the context of data acquired through AHA's Get With The Guidelines or Mission: Lifeline® 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.
2023 Spring proposal cycle for AHA-funded analysis at AHA's approved analytics vendor.

Feb 15 - CAD proposals
March 15 - HF, AFIB proposals
May 15 - Stroke proposals

Oct 16 for AHA Early Career Investigator Database Seed Grant submissions (see link for more info).

Citizenship Requirements:

Applicants for AHA-funded analysis must have one of the following citizenship designations at the time of the proposal submission and throughout the duration of the project. Trainees are not required to reside in the United States for any period before applying.

U.S. citizen
Permanent resident
Pending permanent resident (must have filed Form I-485 for permanent resident status and obtained an I-797C Notice of Action that the application has been received by USCIS and case is pending)
E-3 Visa - specialty occupation worker
F-1 Visa – student (predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows only)
G-4 Visa - family member of an international organization employee
H1-B Visa - temporary worker in a specialty occupation
J-1 Visa - exchange visitor (except for pre- and postdoctoral fellowships, awardees must obtain an H-1B or equivalent by the award activation date)
O-1 Visa - temporary worker with extraordinary abilities in the sciences
TN Visa - NAFTA Professional
DACA - Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

Investigators without any of the U.S. citizenship designations listed above can submit proposals to conduct analyses on the AHA Precision Medicine Platform, with external funding. After the proposal is approved, investigators will need to complete the international due diligence process.

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:

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.