International Research

The American Heart Association (AHA) Get With The Guidelines® (GWTG) and International Certification programs are hospital-based quality improvement programs designed to close treatment gaps and facilitate delivery of care with the goal of improving outcomes for patients. The quality suite of programs includes modules in atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, heart failure, resuscitation, and stroke. 

Using the data that are collected through AHA’s international quality improvement programs, researchers can develop study questions within a country or region of interest and submit a proposal to conduct an investigator-led research project. 

Proposal Submission Deadlines 

Submit your self-analysis proposals at any time through Proposal Central. 

Research Proposals 

Novel proposals should be developed using quality program data and submitted using the online system. Proposals are reviewed based on overlap with existing publications, scientific merit, feasibility, and novel contribution to the literature. Projects not selected may be revised and resubmitted for up to two subsequent RFPs. If accepted, AHA membership is required and an expert AHA quality volunteer mentor will be assigned to your project if not already working with one. 

IDDQ Requirements 

All first authors who reside outside of the United States will need to complete the International Due Diligence Questionnaire (IDDQ) for evaluation before the proposal can move on for further development. 

Proposal Central  

Login and submit your proposals, access your applications and awards or log in as a sponsor institutional officer, or peer reviewer.