National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Behavioral Health (5)
- Cancer (2)
- Cancer: Breast Cancer (2)
- Care Coordination (2)
- Care Management (3)
- Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERTs) (1)
- Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (1)
- Children/Adolescents (2)
- Chronic Conditions (3)
- Clinical Decision Support (CDS) (1)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (3)
- Communication (5)
- Community-Based Practice (3)
- Comparative Effectiveness (4)
- Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) (1)
- Data (2)
- Diabetes (1)
- Education: Patient and Caregiver (1)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (4)
- Emergency Department (2)
- Evidence-Based Practice (2)
- Healthcare Costs (3)
- Healthcare Delivery (10)
- Healthcare Utilization (3)
- Health Information Exchange (HIE) (1)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (5)
- Health Services Research (HSR) (3)
- Heart Disease and Health (2)
- Hospitals (1)
- Imaging (2)
- Implementation (3)
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (1)
- Medicaid (3)
- Medicare (2)
- Medication (3)
- Men's Health (1)
- Nursing Homes (1)
- Organizational Change (2)
- Outcomes (1)
- Palliative Care (1)
- (-) Patient-Centered Healthcare (43)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (9)
- Patient Adherence/Compliance (2)
- Patient and Family Engagement (6)
- Patient Experience (2)
- Patient Safety (2)
- Patient Self-Management (1)
- Policy (1)
- Practice Improvement (2)
- Practice Patterns (1)
- Prevention (1)
- Primary Care (15)
- Primary Care: Models of Care (3)
- Quality Improvement (1)
- Quality Measures (1)
- Quality of Care (9)
- Research Methodologies (1)
- Sexual Health (1)
- Shared Decision Making (3)
- Surgery (1)
- Teams (2)
- TeamSTEPPS (1)
- Training (1)
- Women (1)
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 25 of 43 Research Studies DisplayedSabbatini AK, Merck LH, Froemming AT
Optimizing patient-centered communication and multidisciplinary care coordination in emergency diagnostic imaging: a research agenda.
This article summarizes findings reached during the patient-centered outcomes session of the 2015 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference "Diagnostic Imaging in the Emergency Department: A Research Agenda to Optimize Utilization." The primary objective was to develop a research agenda focused on 1) defining component parts of the emergency diagnostic imaging care coordination process, 2) identifying gaps in communication that affect emergency diagnostic imaging, and 3) defining optimal methods of communication.
AHRQ-funded; HS022982.
Citation: Sabbatini AK, Merck LH, Froemming AT .
Optimizing patient-centered communication and multidisciplinary care coordination in emergency diagnostic imaging: a research agenda.
Acad Emerg Med 2015 Dec;22(12):1427-34. doi: 10.1111/acem.12826.
.
.
Keywords: Communication, Emergency Department, Health Services Research (HSR), Imaging, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Kanzaria HK, McCabe AM, Meisel ZM
Advancing patient-centered outcomes in emergency diagnostic imaging: a research agenda.
This article provides background on patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) in emergency diagnostic imaging. and the conclusions of the 2015 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference PCOR work group regarding "Diagnostic Imaging in the Emergency Department: A Research Agenda to Optimize Utilization." The goal was to determine a prioritized research agenda to establish which outcomes related to emergency diagnostic imaging are most important to patients, caregivers, and other key stakeholders.
AHRQ-funded; HS023498.
Citation: Kanzaria HK, McCabe AM, Meisel ZM .
Advancing patient-centered outcomes in emergency diagnostic imaging: a research agenda.
Acad Emerg Med 2015 Dec;22(12):1435-46. doi: 10.1111/acem.12832.
.
.
Keywords: Emergency Department, Health Services Research (HSR), Imaging, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Hajizadeh N, Uhler LM, Perez Figueroa RE
Understanding patients' and doctors' attitudes about shared decision making for advance care planning.
The authors sought to gain general insights into the current practice of shared decision making (SDM) and attitudes about patient involvement, and also to gain specific insights into experience with, and attitudes about, SDM for advance care planning. They found that patients were generally open to having end-of-life discussions with their doctors, although their openness sometimes depended on the circumstance. Doctors reported engaging in end-of-life treatment decisions with their patients, although they expressed the need for conversations to take place earlier, in advance of acute illness.
AHRQ-funded; HS022061; HS019473.
Citation: Hajizadeh N, Uhler LM, Perez Figueroa RE .
Understanding patients' and doctors' attitudes about shared decision making for advance care planning.
Health Expect 2015 Dec;18(6):2054-65. doi: 10.1111/hex.12285.
.
.
Keywords: Clinician-Patient Communication, Shared Decision Making, Patient and Family Engagement, Patient-Centered Healthcare
Panahiazar M, Taslimitehrani V, Pereira NL
Using EHRs for heart failure therapy recommendation using multidimensional patient similarity analytics.
The authors developed a multidimensional patient similarity assessment technique that leverages multiple types of information from the electronic health records and predicts a medication plan for each new patient based on prior knowledge and data from similar patients.Their findings suggest that it is feasible to harness population-based information for an individual patient-specific assessment.
AHRQ-funded; HS023077.
Citation: Panahiazar M, Taslimitehrani V, Pereira NL .
Using EHRs for heart failure therapy recommendation using multidimensional patient similarity analytics.
Stud Health Technol Inform 2015;210:369-73.
.
.
Keywords: Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Data, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Heart Disease and Health, Patient-Centered Healthcare
Jones AL, Cochran SD, Leibowitz A
Usual primary care provider characteristics of a patient-centered medical home and mental health service use.
This study sought to examine qualities of a usual provider that align with the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) goals of access, comprehensiveness, and patient-centered care, It concluded that access to a usual provider is associated with increased receipt of needed mental health services. Patients who have a usual provider with PCMH qualities are more likely to receive mental health counseling.
AHRQ-funded; HS021721.
Citation: Jones AL, Cochran SD, Leibowitz A .
Usual primary care provider characteristics of a patient-centered medical home and mental health service use.
J Gen Intern Med 2015 Dec;30(12):1828-36. doi: 10.1007/s11606-015-3417-0.
.
.
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Behavioral Health, Primary Care
Kohler RE, Goyal RK, Lich KH
Association between medical home enrollment and health care utilization and costs among breast cancer patients in a state Medicaid program.
The objective of this study was to examine health care utilization and expenditures as a function of patient-centered medical home (PCMH) enrollment among breast cancer patients in North Carolina’s Medicaid program. It found that PCMH enrollment was significantly associated with greater outpatient service use, but there was no difference in the probability of inpatient hospitalizations or ED visits.
AHRQ-funded; HS019468.
Citation: Kohler RE, Goyal RK, Lich KH .
Association between medical home enrollment and health care utilization and costs among breast cancer patients in a state Medicaid program.
Cancer 2015 Nov 15;121(22):3975-81. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29596..
Keywords: Cancer, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Healthcare Utilization, Medicaid, Patient-Centered Healthcare
Yi H, Xiao T, Thomas PS
Barriers and facilitators to patient-provider communication when discussing breast cancer risk to aid in the development of decision support tools.
The investigators identified barriers and facilitators to patient-provider communication when discussing breast cancer risk to aid in the development of decision support tools. They found that barriers barriers are time constraints, lack of knowledge, low health literacy, and language barriers, and that facilitators are information needs, desire for personalization, and autonomy when communicating risk in patient-provider encounters. These results will inform the development of a patient-centered decision aid (RealRisks) and a provider-facing breast cancer risk navigation (BNAV) tool.
AHRQ-funded; HS019313.
Citation: Yi H, Xiao T, Thomas PS .
Barriers and facilitators to patient-provider communication when discussing breast cancer risk to aid in the development of decision support tools.
AMIA Annu Symp Proc 2015 Nov 5;2015:1352-60.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Shared Decision Making, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Clinician-Patient Communication
Anderson GF, Ballreich J, Bleich S
Attributes common to programs that successfully treat high-need, high-cost individuals.
The authors identified 8 attributes common to programs that successfully treat high-need, high-cost individuals. They then illustrated these attributes with specific examples.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Anderson GF, Ballreich J, Bleich S .
Attributes common to programs that successfully treat high-need, high-cost individuals.
Am J Manag Care 2015 Nov;21(11):e597-600.
.
.
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Patient-Centered Healthcare
VanGompel EC, Jerant AF, Franks PM
Primary care attributes associated with receipt of preventive care services: a national study.
This study explored whether primary care attributes (PCAs) encompassed by patient-centered medical homes increase receipt of preventive care. Based ,on a nationally representative sample, greater reported exposure to key primary care attributes, with the exception of enhanced access, was associated with increased preventive care. These findings may inform best practices for maximizing preventive care delivery.
AHRQ-funded; HS022236.
Citation: VanGompel EC, Jerant AF, Franks PM .
Primary care attributes associated with receipt of preventive care services: a national study.
J Am Board Fam Med 2015 Nov-Dec;28(6):733-41. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2015.06.150092.
.
.
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient and Family Engagement, Prevention, Primary Care
Kamal AH, Kavalieratos D, Bull J
Usability and acceptability of the QDACT-PC, an electronic point-of-care system for standardized quality monitoring in palliative care.
The researchers performed usability testing of the Quality Data Collection Tool for Palliative Care (QDACT-PC), a novel, point-of-care quality monitoring tool for palliative care. They found that testing the QDACT-PC reveals equivalence with paper for data collection time, but with less burden overall for electronic methods across other domains of usability.
AHRQ-funded; HS022989.
Citation: Kamal AH, Kavalieratos D, Bull J .
Usability and acceptability of the QDACT-PC, an electronic point-of-care system for standardized quality monitoring in palliative care.
J Pain Symptom Manage 2015 Nov;50(5):615-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2015.05.013.
.
.
Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Quality of Care, Palliative Care, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Quality Measures
Aysola J, Werner RM, Keddem S
Asking the patient about patient-centered medical homes: a qualitative analysis.
The researchers characterized patients' experiences with care after PCMH adoption and their understanding and perceptions of the PCMH model and its key components, and to compare responses by degree of practice-level PCMH adoption and patient race/ethnicity. They found that patients uniformly lacked awareness of the PCMH concept, and the vast majority perceived no PCMH-related structural changes, regardless of the degree of practice-reported PCMH adoption or the patient's race/ethnicity.
AHRQ-funded; HS021706.
Citation: Aysola J, Werner RM, Keddem S .
Asking the patient about patient-centered medical homes: a qualitative analysis.
J Gen Intern Med 2015 Oct;30(10):1461-7. doi: 10.1007/s11606-015-3312-8.
.
.
Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Quality of Care, Patient Experience, Patient Experience, Patient-Centered Healthcare
Aysola J, Rhodes KV, Polsky D
Patient-centered medical homes and access to services for new primary care patients.
The study objective was to determine whether patient-centered medical homes (PCMH) practices are associated with better access to new appointments for nonelderly adults by direct measurement. Callers to PCMH practices compared with non-PCMH practices were more likely to schedule a new appointment and be offered after-hour appointments.
AHRQ-funded; HS021706.
Citation: Aysola J, Rhodes KV, Polsky D .
Patient-centered medical homes and access to services for new primary care patients.
Med Care 2015 Oct;53(10):857-62. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000412..
Keywords: Comparative Effectiveness, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Primary Care
Davis MM, Balasubramanian BA, Cifuentes M
Clinician staffing, scheduling, and engagement strategies among primary care practices delivering integrated care.
This study examined the interrelationship among behavioral health clinician staffing, scheduling, and a primary care practice's approach to delivering integrated care. It concluded that practices' approaches to staffing by primary care clinicians and behavioral health clinicians, scheduling, and delivery of integrated care mutually influenced each other and were shaped by the local context.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Davis MM, Balasubramanian BA, Cifuentes M .
Clinician staffing, scheduling, and engagement strategies among primary care practices delivering integrated care.
J Am Board Fam Med 2015 Sep-Oct;28 Suppl 1:S32-40. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2015.S1.150087.
.
.
Keywords: Behavioral Health, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Healthcare Delivery, Primary Care: Models of Care, Primary Care, Community-Based Practice
Gunn R, Davis MM, Hall J
Designing clinical space for the delivery of integrated behavioral health and primary care.
This study sought to describe features of the physical space in which practices integrating primary care and behavioral health care work and to identify the arrangements that enable integration of care. Two dominant spatial layouts emerged across practices: type-1 layouts were characterized by having primary care clinicians (PCCs) and behavioral health clinicians (BHCs) located in separate work areas, and type-2 layouts had BHCs and PCCs sharing work space.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Gunn R, Davis MM, Hall J .
Designing clinical space for the delivery of integrated behavioral health and primary care.
J Am Board Fam Med 2015 Sep-Oct;28 Suppl 1:S52-62. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2015.S1.150053.
.
.
Keywords: Behavioral Health, Healthcare Delivery, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care
Hall J, Cohen DJ, Davis M
Preparing the workforce for behavioral health and primary care integration.
The researchers sought to identify how organizations prepare clinicians to work together to integrate behavioral health and primary care. They concluded that insufficient training capacity and practical experience opportunities continue to be major barriers to supplying the workforce needed for effective behavioral health and primary care integration. Until the training capacity grows to meet the demand, practices must put forth considerable effort and resources to train their own employees.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Hall J, Cohen DJ, Davis M .
Preparing the workforce for behavioral health and primary care integration.
J Am Board Fam Med 2015 Sep-Oct;28 Suppl 1:S41-51. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2015.S1.150054.
.
.
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Healthcare Delivery, Primary Care: Models of Care, Primary Care, Behavioral Health, Training, Community-Based Practice
Balasubramanian BA, Fernald D, Dickinson LM
REACH of interventions integrating primary care and behavioral health.
This study reports REACH (the extent to which an intervention or program was delivered to the identified target population) of interventions integrating primary care and behavioral health implemented by real-world practices. Practices that implemented systematic protocols to identify patients needing integrated care had a significantly higher screening REACH compared with practices that used clinicians' discretion.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Balasubramanian BA, Fernald D, Dickinson LM .
REACH of interventions integrating primary care and behavioral health.
J Am Board Fam Med 2015 Sep-Oct;28 Suppl 1:S73-85. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2015.S1.150055.
.
.
Keywords: Behavioral Health, Healthcare Delivery, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care, Community-Based Practice, Implementation, Community-Based Practice, Implementation
Magill MK, Ehrenberger D, Scammon DL
The cost of sustaining a patient-centered medical home: experience from 2 states.
This study’s objective was to assess direct personnel costs to practices associated with the staffing necessary to deliver PCMH functions as outlined in the National Committee for Quality Assurance Standards. It found that costs per full-time equivalent primary care clinician associated with PCMH functions varied across practices with an average of $7,691 per month in Utah practices and $9,658 in Colorado practices.
AHRQ-funded; HS022620.
Citation: Magill MK, Ehrenberger D, Scammon DL .
The cost of sustaining a patient-centered medical home: experience from 2 states.
Ann Fam Med 2015 Sep;13(5):429-35. doi: 10.1370/afm.1851..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Healthcare Costs, Quality of Care, Primary Care
Morgans AK, Schapira L
Confronting therapeutic failure: a conversation guide.
The authors review the classic six-step SPIKES (setting, perception, invitation for information, knowledge, empathy, summarize and strategize) protocol for giving bad news that has been widely adopted since it was first published in this journal in 2005. They also offer practical tips derived from a thorough review of the evidence and our clinical experience.
AHRQ-funded; HS022990.
Citation: Morgans AK, Schapira L .
Confronting therapeutic failure: a conversation guide.
Oncologist 2015 Aug;20(8):946-51. doi: 10.1634/theoncologist.2015-0050..
Keywords: Cancer, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Alexander JA, Markowitz AR, Paustian ML
Implementation of patient-centered medical homes in adult primary care practices.
This study examined the following research questions: Is the level of, and change in, implementation of patient-centered medical home (PCMH) associated with medical surgical cost, preventive services utilization, and quality of care in the following year? Results showed that both level and amount of change are independently and positively associated with measures of quality of care and use of preventive services.
AHRQ-funded; HS019147.
Citation: Alexander JA, Markowitz AR, Paustian ML .
Implementation of patient-centered medical homes in adult primary care practices.
Med Care Res Rev 2015 Aug;72(4):438-67. doi: 10.1177/1077558715579862.
.
.
Keywords: Care Management, Quality of Care, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care
Chen LM, Sakshaug JW, Miller DC
The association among medical home readiness, quality, and care of vulnerable patients.
The researchers sought to examine the association among patient-centered medical home (PCMH) readiness, quality, and the care of vulnerable patients. They found that performance at PCMH-ready practices was higher for 3 of 9 quality indicators related to chronic disease management and preventive counseling (beta-blocker or diuretic prescribed for hypertension, diet counseling, exercise counseling).
AHRQ-funded; HS018346; HS020671; HS020927.
Citation: Chen LM, Sakshaug JW, Miller DC .
The association among medical home readiness, quality, and care of vulnerable patients.
Am J Manag Care 2015 Aug;21(8):e480-6..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient Safety, Quality of Care, Primary Care
Kim KK, Joseph JG, Ohno-Machado L
Comparison of consumers' views on electronic data sharing for healthcare and research.
The researchers surveyed California consumers to learn their views of privacy, security, and consent in electronic data sharing for healthcare and research together. They found considerable concern that health information exchanges will worsen privacy (40.3 percent) and security (42.5 percent). Consumers are in favor of electronic data sharing but elements of transparency are important: individual control, who has access, and the purpose for use of data.
AHRQ-funded; HS019913.
Citation: Kim KK, Joseph JG, Ohno-Machado L .
Comparison of consumers' views on electronic data sharing for healthcare and research.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2015 Jul;22(4):821-30. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocv014..
Keywords: Communication, Data, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Exchange (HIE), Health Information Technology (HIT), Patient-Centered Healthcare
Fontaine P, Whitebird R, Solberg LI
Minnesota's early experience with medical home implementation: viewpoints from the front lines.
This study aimed to identify the facilitators and barriers encountered by nine diverse primary care practices selected from the first 80 to achieve patient-centered medical home (PCMH) certification in Minnesota. It found that facilitators to achieve PCMH certification included a requirement for patient involvement, which pushed practices to create patient-centered innovations, and new reimbursement models based on quality indicators for a population.
AHRQ-funded; HS019161.
Citation: Fontaine P, Whitebird R, Solberg LI .
Minnesota's early experience with medical home implementation: viewpoints from the front lines.
J Gen Intern Med 2015 Jul;30(7):899-906. doi: 10.1007/s11606-014-3136-y..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care, Implementation, Organizational Change, Healthcare Delivery, Practice Improvement, Health Services Research (HSR)
Solberg LI, Stuck LH, Crain AL
Organizational factors and change strategies associated with medical home transformation.
The researchers surveyed leaders of the first 132 primary care practices in Minnesota to achieve medical home certification. The Change Process Capability Questionnaire survey and the Physician Practice Connections survey showed that 80% to 100% of these certified clinics had 15 of the 18 organizational factors important for improving care processes and that 60% to 90% had successfully used 16 improvement strategies.
AHRQ-funded; HS019161.
Citation: Solberg LI, Stuck LH, Crain AL .
Organizational factors and change strategies associated with medical home transformation.
Am J Med Qual 2015 Jul-Aug;30(4):337-44. doi: 10.1177/1062860614532307.
.
.
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care, Practice Improvement, Organizational Change, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Healthcare Delivery
Lee DJ, Najari BB, Davison WL
Trends in the utilization of penile prostheses in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in the United States.
This study assessed the national temporal trends in the surgical management of ED utilizing penile prosthesis (PP). It found that the surgical management of ED with PP changed significantly between 2001 and 2010. Also, the overall utilization of PP decreased, but its use in patients with significant medical comorbidities increased.
AHRQ-funded; HS000066.
Citation: Lee DJ, Najari BB, Davison WL .
Trends in the utilization of penile prostheses in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in the United States.
J Sex Med 2015 Jul;12(7):1638-45. doi: 10.1111/jsm.12921..
Keywords: Healthcare Utilization, Men's Health, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Sexual Health, Surgery
Ancker JS, Witteman HO, Hafeez B
The invisible work of personal health information management among people with multiple chronic conditions: qualitative interview study among patients and providers.
The researchers conducted a semistructured interview study with 22 patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) with the objective of exploring their role in managing their personal health information. They concluded that personal health information management should be recognized as an additional burden that MCC places upon patients. Their findings suggest that both provider-centered and patient-centered information technologies will continue to be needed.
AHRQ-funded; HS021531.
Citation: Ancker JS, Witteman HO, Hafeez B .
The invisible work of personal health information management among people with multiple chronic conditions: qualitative interview study among patients and providers.
J Med Internet Res 2015 Jun 4;17(6):e137. doi: 10.2196/jmir.4381..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Education: Patient and Caregiver, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Health Information Technology (HIT), Patient Self-Management