Health Technology Assessment

Evidence-based Practice Technical Reviews
Technology Assessments

Research Findings

Research Activities, February 2010:
Blacks express more concerns about telemedicine than Hispanics
Computerized tomography angiography may help determine appropriate treatment for stroke patients
Use of bedside ultrasound by hospital emergency departments is not yet common practice in California

Research Activities, January 2010:
Primary care physicians like e-prescribing systems, but make little use of their advanced features

Research Activities, December 2009:
Telemedicine reduces children's emergency department visits for nonemergency problems
Laptop test in an emergency department can help detect subtle cognitive deficits following concussions

Research Activities, November 2009:
Input from clinical staff helps when evaluating the purchase of equipment
Particle beam radiation therapy is promising, but unproven for treating cancer

Research Activities, October 2009:
Numeric tool helps women determine their birthing preferences after cesareans

Research Activities, September 2009:
Hyperdense basilar artery on unenhanced CT scan predicts a clot in the artery and poorer outcome among stroke patients
Targeted energy treatment helps correct irregular heartbeat in the short term, but long-term effects are unknown

Research Activities, July 2009:
Electronic medication administration records improve communication and decisionmaking in nursing homes

Research Activities, January 2009:
Emergency medicine consensus conference examines the role of health care simulation in developing clinical expertise
X-ray of patients undergoing emergency surgery is cost-effective in preventing retained surgical sponges

Research Activities, May 2008:
Researchers examine the relationship of workarounds to technology implementation and medication safety in nursing homes
CT angiographic source images detect stroke better than nonenhanced CT scans
Nurses can facilitate quality improvement in primary care practices with electronic medical records
Managing knowledge in family practices takes more than technology
Physician residents use personal digital assistants most for drug references and medical calculations

Research Activities, March 2008:
Simulation improves caregivers' performance but whether it improves patient outcomes is still uncertain
Studies examine emergency communication, use of defibrillators, and benefit of ED pharmacists
Rural emergency departments have a high rate of medication errors with the potential to harm children

Research Activities, February 2008:
Financial incentives to physicians and long-term care facilities may foster adoption of computerized drug systems
Observational videos can identify ways to improve emergency endotracheal intubation

Research Activities, January 2008:
A computer-based intravenous protocol can improve glycemic control in surgical ICU patients
Studies examine pharmacy workload and medication errors and cost savings of hospital barcode medication systems

Research Activities, December 2007:
A pharmacy alert system plus physician-pharmacist collaboration can reduce inappropriate drug prescribing among elderly outpatients
Use of simple clinical information systems can improve outcomes of patients with diabetes

Research Activities, November 2007:
Studies explore the use and functions of electronic health records
Implementing a basic electronic prescribing system may reduce nonclinical prescribing errors
Electronic data collection can greatly improve recruitment of primary care patients into clinical trials

Research Activities, October 2007:
Studies funded by AHRQ's Primary Care Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs) identify ways to improve patient care and report medical errors

Research Activities, September 2007:
Computerized drug-drug interaction alerts are useful, but can be improved

Research Activities, August 2007:
Changes in workflow and tasks need to be assessed when introducing bar code medication administration into nurses' work

Research Activities, March 2007:
Stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus of the brain improves quality of life for patients with advanced Parkinson's disease
Specific primary care office systems and quality improvement strategies may substantially affect the cost of diabetes care
A color-coded tape helps EMTs calculate the correct epinephrine dose for children in cardiopulmonary arrest

Research Activities, November 2006:
Providing free blood glucose monitors to patients with diabetes initially encourages self-management, especially among blacks
Computerized drug alerts when ordering medications reduce inappropriate prescribing for the elderly
"Off-pump" bypass surgery is associated with reduced occurrence of stroke and other complications
Pay-for-performance incentives were adopted by half of U.S. HMOs, but their use depends on health plan type and physician payment arrangements

Research Activities, August 2006:
Studies examine use of computed tomography and risk of rupture in acute appendicitis

Research Activities, June 2006:
National survey of community pharmacies examines workload, available technology, and perceptions of drug alert systems
Clinical criteria can identify children with blunt head trauma who are unlikely to need CT scans

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