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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 19 of 19 Research Studies DisplayedCarlile N, Fuller TE, Benneyan JC
Lessons learned in implementing a chronic opioid therapy management system.
This article describes a research collaborative of health service researchers, systems engineers, and clinicians that sought to improve processes for safer chronic opioid therapy management in an academic primary care center. The authors present implementation results and lessons learned along with an intervention toolkit that others may consider using within their organization. They designed, tested, and implemented two key safe opioid use process metrics-percent for patients with recent opioid treatment agreements and urine drug tests. Focus groups were conducted after the conclusion of the implementation. They found a general lack of knowledge regarding resources available to patients and prescribers in the primary care clinic. In addition, 69% of clinicians reported largely “inheriting” (rather than initiating) their chronic opioid therapy patients. They also tracked 68 patients over a 4-year period and found although process measures improved, full adherence was not achieved for the entire population. Barriers identified included team structure, the evolving opioid environment, and surveillance challenges, along with disruptions resulting from the 2019 novel coronavirus.
AHRQ-funded; HS024453.
Citation: Carlile N, Fuller TE, Benneyan JC .
Lessons learned in implementing a chronic opioid therapy management system.
J Patient Saf 2022 Dec 1;18(8):e1142-e49. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000001039..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Practice Patterns
Encinosa W, Bernard D, Selden TM
AHRQ Author: Encinosa W, Bernard D, Selden TM
Opioid and non-opioid analgesic prescribing before and after the CDC's 2016 opioid guideline.
This study examined opioid and non-opioid prescribing before and after the issuing of CDC’s 2016 opioid guideline. The authors developed a theory of physician prescribing behavior under the CDC’s two-pronged incentive structure. They used MEPS survey data to empirically corroborate the theory that the regulations and guidelines have the intended effects of reducing opioid prescriptions for acute and chronic pain, as well as the predicted unintended effects-income effects cause regulations on acute pain treatment to increase chronic pain opioid prescriptions and the chronic pain treatment guidelines spillover to reduce opioids for acute pain. They also found that the guidelines work as intended in terms of the reduced usage, with chronic pain patients shifting to non-opioids and tapering off opioid doses.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Encinosa W, Bernard D, Selden TM .
Opioid and non-opioid analgesic prescribing before and after the CDC's 2016 opioid guideline.
Int J Health Econ Manag 2022 Mar;22(1):1-52. doi: 10.1007/s10754-021-09307-4..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Opioids, Practice Patterns, Medication, Pain, Chronic Conditions
Agbalajobi OM, Gmelin T, Moon AM
Characteristics of opioid prescribing to outpatients with chronic liver diseases: a call for action.
This retrospective cohort study investigated opioid prescribing patterns among patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) at a single medical center. These patients (12,425) were followed for one year from October 2015 to September 2016. Nearly half (47%) were prescribed opioids over a one-year period, with 17% receiving high-risk prescriptions. Characteristics associated with high-risk opioid prescriptions included female gender, Medicaid insurance, cirrhosis and baseline chronic pain, depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, and Charlson comorbidity score. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was associated with decreased high-risk opioid prescriptions.
AHRQ-funded; HS019461.
Citation: Agbalajobi OM, Gmelin T, Moon AM .
Characteristics of opioid prescribing to outpatients with chronic liver diseases: a call for action.
PLoS One 2021 Dec 17;16(12):e0261377. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261377..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Practice Patterns, Pain, Chronic Conditions
Cerda M, Wheeler-Martin K, Bruzelius E
Spatiotemporal analysis of the association between pain management clinic laws and opioid prescribing and overdose deaths.
The authors investigated the impact of pain management clinic laws. They analyzed data on county-level, opioid overdose deaths via the National Vital Statistics System and patients filling long-duration or high-dose opioid prescriptions in the US 2010-2018. Their findings suggested that laws with criminal penalties were associated with intended reductions in high-risk opioid prescribing and some opioid overdoses but raised concerns regarding unintended consequences on heroin/synthetic overdoses.
AHRQ-funded; HS023258.
Citation: Cerda M, Wheeler-Martin K, Bruzelius E .
Spatiotemporal analysis of the association between pain management clinic laws and opioid prescribing and overdose deaths.
Am J Epidemiol 2021 Dec;190(12):2592-603. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwab192..
Keywords: Opioids, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Medication, Practice Patterns, Policy
Everhart A, Desai NR, Dowd B
Physician variation in the de-adoption of ineffective statin and fibrate therapy.
The objective of this study was to describe physicians' variation in de-adopting concurrent statin and fibrate therapy for type 2 diabetic patients following a reversal in clinical evidence. Researchers modeled fibrate use among Medicare Advantage and commercially insured type 2 diabetic statin users before and after the publication of the ACCORD lipid trial. Findings showed that, on average, physicians decreased fibrate prescribing following the trial; however, many physicians increased prescribing following the trial. Observable physician characteristics did not explain variations in prescribing.
AHRQ-funded; HS025164; HS000036.
Citation: Everhart A, Desai NR, Dowd B .
Physician variation in the de-adoption of ineffective statin and fibrate therapy.
Health Serv Res 2021 Oct;56(5):919-31. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13630..
Keywords: Diabetes, Medication, Practice Patterns, Chronic Conditions
Navis A, George MC, Nmashie A
Validation of the Safer Opioid Prescribing Evaluation Tool (SOPET) for assessing adherence to the Centers for Disease Control opioid prescribing guidelines.
This study assessed the use of the Safer Opioid Prescribing Evaluation Tool (SOPET) which was designed to improve the implementation of the 2016 Centers for Disease Control Guidelines on the prescription of opioids for chronic pain. Four raters with varying levels of clinical experience were trained to use the SOPET and then used it to evaluate 21 baseline patient scenarios. Inter-rater reliability was measured using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) estimates and their 95% confidence intervals for the total SOPET score based on a mean-rating absolute-agreement, two-way random-effects model. Inter-rater reliability was found to be good for the three physician raters (0.92, 0.97, and 0.99). However, inter-rater reliability for the non-physician rater was lower (0.67).
AHRQ-funded; HS025641.
Citation: Navis A, George MC, Nmashie A .
Validation of the Safer Opioid Prescribing Evaluation Tool (SOPET) for assessing adherence to the Centers for Disease Control opioid prescribing guidelines.
Pain Med 2020 Dec 25;21(12):3655-59. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnaa138..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Medication: Safety, Patient Safety, Guidelines, Practice Patterns, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Evidence-Based Practice
Romman AN, Hsu CM, Chou LN
Opioid prescribing to Medicare Part D enrollees, 2013-2017: shifting responsibility to pain management providers.
This study looked at trends in opioid prescribing frequency to Medicare Part D enrollees from 2013 to 2017 by medical specialty and provider type. The authors analyzed opioid claims and prescribing trends for specialties accounting for ≥1% of all opioid claims. Pain management specialists increased Medicare Part D opioid claims by 27.3% to 1,140 mean claims per provider in 2017. Physical medicine and rehabilitation providers increased claims by 16.9% to 511 mean claims per provider in 2017. All other medical specialties decreased opioid claims during this period, with emergency medicine decreasing the most (-19.9%) and orthopedic surgery (-16%) dropping opioid claims the most of all the other specialties. Overall physician decrease was -5.2%. However opioid claims among dentists (+5.6%) and nonphysician providers (+10.2%) increased during this period.
AHRQ-funded; HS020642.
Citation: Romman AN, Hsu CM, Chou LN .
Opioid prescribing to Medicare Part D enrollees, 2013-2017: shifting responsibility to pain management providers.
Pain Med 2020 Nov 7;21(7):1400-07. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnz344..
Keywords: Elderly, Opioids, Medication, Medicare, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Practice Patterns
Le P, Chaitoff A, Misra-Hebert AD
Use of antihyperglycemic medications in U.S. adults: an analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
The objectives of this study were to examine trends in the use of diabetes medications and to determine whether physicians individualize diabetes treatment as recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, findings suggested that the use of metformin and insulin analogs increased, while the use of sulfonylureas, TZDs, and human insulin decreased. Insurance, but not income, was associated with the use of higher-cost medications. Following ADA recommendations, the use of metformin increased, but physicians generally did not individualize treatment according to patients' characteristics.
AHRQ-funded; HS024128.
Citation: Le P, Chaitoff A, Misra-Hebert AD .
Use of antihyperglycemic medications in U.S. adults: an analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Diabetes Care 2020 Jun;43(6):1227-33. doi: 10.2337/dc19-2424..
Keywords: Medication, Diabetes, Practice Patterns, Chronic Conditions
Heins SE, Castillo RC
The impact of morphine equivalent daily dose threshold guidelines on prescribed dose in a workers' compensation population.
This study evaluated the impact of dissemination Morphine Equivalent Daily Dose (MEDD) guidelines to state workers’ compensation boards to discourage high-dose opioid use among injured workers receiving workers’ compensation. The study used workers compensations claims data from 2010-2013 from 2 guideline states and 3 control states. The policy implementation showed a 9.26 mg decrease in MEDD after adjusting for covariates, state fixed-effects, and time trends. The decreases became more pronounced over the study period.
AHRQ-funded; HS025557.
Citation: Heins SE, Castillo RC .
The impact of morphine equivalent daily dose threshold guidelines on prescribed dose in a workers' compensation population.
Med Care 2020 Mar;58(3):241-47. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001269..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Practice Patterns, Guidelines
Dy CJ, Peacock K, Olsen MA
Frequency and risk factors for prolonged opioid prescriptions after surgery for brachial plexus injury.
This study examined risk of prolonged opioid prescription use after surgery for brachial plexus injury (BPI). A cohort of BPI surgery patients was compared to a control group of non-BPI patients, matching for age, sex, and year. Pharmacy claims for prescriptions filled for opioids and neuropathic pain methods were examined 1 year before surgery to 180 days after surgery. The primary outcome studied was prolonged opioid prescription, which is defined as receiving a prescription 90 to 180 days after the surgery or randomly selected date of service for controls. Among BPI patients, a subgroup analysis was also performed on opioid-naïve patients between 30 days to 1 year before surgery. Among BPI surgery patients, 27.7% had prolonged opioid prescriptions, but only 10.8% of opioid-naïve patients had prolonged opioid prescriptions. The rate for controls was 0.11%. The rates of prolonged opioid prescriptions for BPI patients was higher than previous estimates among other surgical patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS019455.
Citation: Dy CJ, Peacock K, Olsen MA .
Frequency and risk factors for prolonged opioid prescriptions after surgery for brachial plexus injury.
J Hand Surg Am 2019 Aug;44(8):662-68.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2019.04.001..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Surgery, Pain, Practice Patterns, Risk, Chronic Conditions
Parchman ML, Penfold RB, Ike B
Team-based clinic redesign of opioid medication management in primary care: effect on opioid prescribing.
This study examined the effect of using an opioid medication management program called Six Building Blocks in primary care practices to help reduce the rate of opioid prescriptions. Six rural-serving organizations with 20 clinic locations received support for 15 months to help them implement the Six Building Blocks. This case-control study compared monthly trends in patients undergoing long-term opioid therapy (LtOT) for patients enrolled in the intervention clinics with those enrolled in a regional health plan who did not receive care at the study sites but resided in the same areas. There was a significant rate of decrease of patients on LtOT at intervention clinics compared with the control group.
AHRQ-funded; HS023750.
Citation: Parchman ML, Penfold RB, Ike B .
Team-based clinic redesign of opioid medication management in primary care: effect on opioid prescribing.
Ann Fam Med 2019 Jul;17(4):319-25. doi: 10.1370/afm.2390..
Keywords: Opioids, Primary Care: Models of Care, Primary Care, Teams, Medication, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Practice Patterns, Patient-Centered Healthcare
Callaghan BC, Reynolds E, Banerjee M
Longitudinal pattern of pain medication utilization in peripheral neuropathy patients.
The authors of this article investigated the pattern and utilization of neuropathic pain medications in peripheral neuropathy patients. They found that opioid initiation and transition to chronic opioid therapy were frequent in the studied population despite few patients receiving more than one guideline-recommended medication. They concluded that efforts are needed to decrease opioid utilization and to increase guideline-recommended medication use in order to improve current neuropathic pain treatment.
AHRQ-funded; HS017690.
Citation: Callaghan BC, Reynolds E, Banerjee M .
Longitudinal pattern of pain medication utilization in peripheral neuropathy patients.
Pain 2019 Mar;160(3):592-99. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001439..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Guidelines, Healthcare Utilization, Medication, Neurological Disorders, Opioids, Pain, Practice Patterns
DeCourcey DD, Silverman M, Oladunjoye A
Patterns of care at the end of life for children and young adults with life-threatening complex chronic conditions.
The purpose of this study, which used a cross sectional survey, was to characterize patterns of care at the end of life for children and young adults with life-threatening complex chronic conditions (LT-CCCs) and to compare them by LT-CCC type. The investigators concluded that significant differences in patterns of care at the end of life existed depending on LT-CCC type. They suggest that attention to these patterns is important to ensure equal access to palliative care and targeted improvements in end-of-life care for these populations.
AHRQ-funded; HS022986.
Citation: DeCourcey DD, Silverman M, Oladunjoye A .
Patterns of care at the end of life for children and young adults with life-threatening complex chronic conditions.
J Pediatr 2018 Feb;193:196-203.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.09.078..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Chronic Conditions, Palliative Care, Practice Patterns, Young Adults
Miake-Lye IM, Chuang E, Rodriguez HP
Random or predictable?: Adoption patterns of chronic care management practices in physician organizations.
This exploratory paper leverages the natural variation in uptake to describe inter-organizational patterns in adoption of care management practices (CMPs) and to better understand how adoption choices may be related to one another. Within disease focus scales, patient reminders were ranked as the most adoptable CMP, while clinician feedback and patient education were ranked the least adoptable.
AHRQ-funded; HS024176.
Citation: Miake-Lye IM, Chuang E, Rodriguez HP .
Random or predictable?: Adoption patterns of chronic care management practices in physician organizations.
Implement Sci 2017 Aug 24;12(1):106. doi: 10.1186/s13012-017-0639-z.
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Keywords: Care Management, Chronic Conditions, Practice Patterns
Fain KM, Alexander GC, Dore DD
Frequency and predictors of analgesic prescribing in U.S. nursing home residents with persistent pain.
The purpose of this study was to quantify prescription analgesic use of elderly nursing home (NH) residents with persistent noncancer pain and to identify individual and facility traits associated with no treatment. The investigators concluded that through 2008, pain remained undertreated in NHs, especially in certain subpopulations, including cognitively impaired and older residents. The authors suggest that changes in pain management practice and policies may be necessary to target these vulnerable residents.
AHRQ-funded; HS022998.
Citation: Fain KM, Alexander GC, Dore DD .
Frequency and predictors of analgesic prescribing in U.S. nursing home residents with persistent pain.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2017 Feb;65(2):286-93. doi: 10.1111/jgs.14512..
Keywords: Care Management, Chronic Conditions, Elderly, Long-Term Care, Medication, Nursing Homes, Opioids, Pain, Practice Patterns
Fain KM, Castillo-Salgado C, Dore DD
Inappropriate fentanyl prescribing among nursing home residents in the United States.
In this cross-sectional study, the investigators quantified transdermal fentanyl prescribing in elderly nursing home residents without prior opioid use or persistent pain, and the association of individual and facility traits with opioid-naive prescribing. The investigators concluded that most nursing home residents initiating transdermal fentanyl did not have persistent pain and many were opioid-naive. They suggest that changes in prescribing practices may be necessary to ensure Food and Drug Administration warnings are followed, particularly for vulnerable subgroups, such as the cognitively impaired.
AHRQ-funded; HS018960.
Citation: Fain KM, Castillo-Salgado C, Dore DD .
Inappropriate fentanyl prescribing among nursing home residents in the United States.
J Am Med Dir Assoc 2017 Feb;18(2):138-44. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2016.08.015..
Keywords: Care Management, Chronic Conditions, Elderly, Long-Term Care, Medication, Nursing Homes, Opioids, Pain, Practice Patterns
Kuo YF, Goodwin JS, Chen NW
Diabetes mellitus care provided by nurse practitioners vs primary care physicians.
The study objective was to compare processes and cost of care of older adults with diabetes mellitus cared for by nurse practitioners (NPs) with processes and cost of those cared for by primary care physicians (PCPs). It concluded that nurse practitioners were similar to PCPs or slightly lower in their rates of diabetes mellitus guideline–concordant care.
AHRQ-funded; HS020642; HS022134.
Citation: Kuo YF, Goodwin JS, Chen NW .
Diabetes mellitus care provided by nurse practitioners vs primary care physicians.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2015 Oct;63(10):1980-8. doi: 10.1111/jgs.13662..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Diabetes, Elderly, Primary Care, Practice Patterns
Magnan EM, Gittelson R, Bartels CM
Establishing chronic condition concordance and discordance with diabetes: a Delphi study.
This study aimed to provide more information for the future research and clinical use of the concordant/discordant framework by increasing the number of conditions that can be characterized as concordant or discordant with diabetes. By finding that 12 conditions were concordant with diabetes care and 50 were discordant, the study significantly adds to the number of conditions for which there is information on concordance and discordance for diabetes care.
AHRQ-funded; HS018368; HS007646; HS021899.
Citation: Magnan EM, Gittelson R, Bartels CM .
Establishing chronic condition concordance and discordance with diabetes: a Delphi study.
BMC Fam Pract 2015 Mar 28;16:42. doi: 10.1186/s12875-015-0253-6..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Diabetes, Primary Care, Practice Patterns
Dauw CA, Alruwaily AF, Bierlein MJ
Provider variation in the quality of metabolic stone management.
The researchers quantified the degree of variation in repeat 24-hour urine testing attributable to providers and assessed differences in repeat testing rates between specialist and primary care physicians. They found, that, while most variation in follow-up testing was attributable to the patient, the provider contribution was nontrivial (18 percent). The specialty of the ordering provider was also important.
AHRQ-funded; HS020927.
Citation: Dauw CA, Alruwaily AF, Bierlein MJ .
Provider variation in the quality of metabolic stone management.
J Urol 2015 Mar;193(3):885-90. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2014.09.111..
Keywords: Care Management, Chronic Conditions, Practice Patterns