Other Patient & Consumer Resources

• What You Should Know About Stroke Prevention

Clinicians & Providers

• Comparative-effectiveness Research to Aid Population Decision Making by Relating Clinical Outcomes and Quality-adjusted Life Years
• Health Literacy Interventions and Outcomes, Update
• Incidence, Predictors, and Outcomes Associated with Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation after Major Noncardiac Surgery
• Malignant CTA Collateral Profile is Highly Specific for Large Admission DWI Infarct Core and Poor Outcome in Acute Stroke
• Outcomes Research
• Outcomes and Effectiveness Research
• Outcomes of Community Health Worker Interventions
• Outcomes of Genetic Testing in Adults with a History of Venous Thrombo
• Program on Health Outcomes Presentations
• Stroke Prevention: Recommendations

Hospital & Health System Resources

• Outcomes and Effectiveness Research

Policymaker Resources

• Outcomes and Effectiveness Research

Fact Sheets

September 1 2012 20120901

Outcomes Research

Full Research Reports

September 1 2012 20120901

Stroke Prevention: Recommendations

Other Research & Data

• A simple question identifies patients with low health literacy
• Comparative-effectiveness Research to Aid Population Decision Making by Relating Clinical Outcomes and Quality-adjusted Life Years
• David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
• Incidence, Predictors, and Outcomes Associated with Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation after Major Noncardiac Surgery
• Iowa Medicaid Enterprise
• Kauffman-Gamber Physical Therapy
• Malignant CTA Collateral Profile is Highly Specific for Large Admission DWI Infarct Core and Poor Outcome in Acute Stroke
• Medical Benefit Alternatives
• Outcomes and Effectiveness Research
• Outcomes of Community Health Worker Interventions
• Outcomes of Genetic Testing in Adults with a History of Venous Thrombo
• Patients with adult-onset diabetes with limited health literacy more likely to suffer hypoglycemic episodes
• Pharmacy intervention for patients with limited literacy evokes positive responses from patients and pharmacists
• Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
• U.S.-born Mexican women who have adopted U.S. culture may be more at risk for cervical cancer
• Women's lack of knowledge and mistrust play a role in underuse of breast cancer adjuvant therapy

News & Numbers

December 15 2010 20101215

One in 16 Women Hospitalized for Childbirth Has Diabetes

Other News & Events

• No consistent association found between volume or quality and outcomes of complex surgeries for cancer
• A certain type of stroke increases risk of death and poor outcome
• A few preoperative factors can be used to predict inpatient deaths following surgery
• A hospital's ability to rescue patients from complications after high-risk surgery determines mortality rates
• A new study links biomarker of brain injury to microemboli occurring during cardiac surgery
• A simple question identifies patients with low health literacy
• A structured goal-setting approach can improve care outcomes for patients with type 2 diabetes
• ADHD medications don't increase serious heart risks in children or adults
• AHRQ report finds unclear value of pretesting autoimmune disorder patients before prescribing thiopurine drugs
• AHRQ-funded medical liability and patient safety initiative shows promise for reducing patient harm, lawsuits, and costs
• AHRQ-funded report shows promise in detecting surgical site infections
• Accuracy of ultrasound for ectopic pregnancy in the emergency department is not helped by measuring a key pregnancy hormone
• Advanced type of cancer radiation reduces side effects, but impact on cancer control is unclear
• Anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy increases risk for certain mycobacteria infections
• Antipsychotic medications linked to occurrence of diabetes in children
• Antiretroviral switching strategies to treat HIV improve survival and are cost-effective in resource-limited countries
• Arterial and perfusion imaging help guide treatment for stroke patients when symptom onset is unknown
• Atypical antipsychotic medications increase fracture risk in patients with Parkinson's disease
• Being overweight prior to transplant surgery slows improvement in the physical functioning of liver transplant patients
• Benefits of active surveillance therapy for localized prostate cancer not yet demonstrated
• Benefits of case management for chronic illness limited
• Benefits of chemotherapy for elderly patients with lung cancer must be weighed against risk of long-term toxicities
• Better adherence to diabetes medications means fewer hospitalizations and emergency department visits
• Better hospital quality of care for the elderly is associated with lower mortality after discharge
• Bevacizumab, when added to chemotherapy regimen for elderly patients with lung cancer, does not increase survival rates
• Birth defects may be linked to high blood pressure, not use of ACE inhibitors in early pregnancy
• Blood pressure control persists after physician-pharmacist intervention ends
• Body fat distribution in obese trauma patients is not linked to increased inflammation, infections, or mortality
• Bowel incontinence and other clinical factors predict the development of pressure ulcers
• C-reactive protein testing is not more effective than an educational intervention to decrease antibiotic prescriptions for patients seen for acute cough
• COPD drug triad associated with reduced death and hospitalization rates
• Cardiac procedures can lead to substantial radiation exposure for patients
• Care process model to treat feverish infants with possible serious bacterial infections improves outcomes, lowers costs
• Caregiver dissatisfaction affects outpatient care for the elderly with dementia
• Certain factors linked to risk of early death of intensive care patients after discharge
• Certain hospital characteristics influence mortality after complications following high-risk surgery
• Certain medications are associated with functional decline in the elderly
• Cesarean delivery rates may not be a useful measure of obstetric quality
• Challenges abundant for practices that use fax referrals to smoking cessation quitlines
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for lung cancer linked to cardiac disorders
• Chemotherapy that contains anthracyclines is associated with later cardiac illness in breast cancer patients
• Children whose parents lack a usual source of care are more likely to have unmet medical needs
• Clinical algorithm can identify and locate serious internal bleeding related to oral anticoagulant use
• Clinical inertia may represent good clinical judgment in hypertension telemanagement
• Clinicians should be cautious when prescribing one class of diabetes drugs for patients at high risk for heart attack
• Clopidogrel increases bleeding risk in cardiac patients with drug-eluting stents
• Colonoscopy is best at diagnosing lower intestinal bleeding
• Colony-stimulating factor is effective in reducing infection for elderly patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma on chemotherapy
• Combination diuretic therapy for heart failure appears useful, but needs a stronger evidence base
• Combination treatment reduces acute kidney injury due to infusion of contrast dye during cardiac catheterization
• Common sleep disorder contributes to work disability and need to modify work duties
• Community hospitals care for psychiatric patients in medical-surgical beds when psychiatric units are full
• Comparative-effectiveness Research to Aid Population Decision Making by Relating Clinical Outcomes and Quality-adjusted Life Years
• Complications after kidney cancer surgery are linked with decreased long-term survival
• Complications and in-hospital deaths more frequent among patients who undergo anterior rather than posterior spine fusion
• Complications increase mortality of trauma patients
• Computer display helps reduce the rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia in surgical intensive care units
• Connecting local providers to academic medical centers using video improved hepatitis C outcomes
• Continuing beta blockers after noncardiac surgery improves patient outcome
• Contrast-enhanced CT scans do not increase the risk of kidney failure in patients with acute stroke
• Coronary risk information may improve prescribing practices
• Counseling education does not significantly boost residents' dietary counseling of patients with diabetes
• Creating networks to provide social support for the homeless may improve health outcomes
• Delay in filling a blood-thinner prescription after procedures to implant a drug-eluting stent is risky
• Delaying the control of blood pressure among middle-aged adults with diabetes
• Demographic and health factors influence the type of prostate cancer screening received by men over age 40
• Dilators more cost-effective than surgery for correcting congenital condition in females
• Discharge to skilled nursing facilities after a heart attack or heart failure explains little of variation in hospital readmissions
• Drug discontinuation effects are not limited to psychoactive drugs, but may be important for cardiovascular drugs as well
• Drug monitoring may be improved by the use of health information technology and clinical pharmacists
• Drug-eluting stents appear safe for older patients with chronic kidney disease
• Drugs to treat hepatitis B may not prevent patients from liver disease later
• EMS transport is underused by patients with a certain type of heart attack
• Early followup with a physician reduces readmissions for Medicare patients hospitalized for heart failure
• Effects of antidepressants on suicidal thoughts and behavior differ by age group
• Elderly lung cancer patients experience more adverse events during chemotherapy than younger patients
• Electronic health record decision support improves the care of children with ADHD
• Electronic health records improve diabetes care and outcomes
• Electronic medical records reduce negative outcomes and related costs after patient safety events occur
• Emergency department patients and visitors are most interested in education about stress and depression
• Evidence lacking on optimal transition-of-care programs for heart attack and stroke patients following hospitalization
• Evidence report finds modest and short-term benefit of complementary and alternative therapy for back and neck pain
• Evidence-based care processes are associated with improved outcomes for heart failure
• Fewer patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis die while awaiting liver transplants than those with other liver diseases
• Fewer public psychiatric hospital beds may lead to higher suicide rates
• Financial performance has modest effect on nursing home quality improvement
• For hypertensive patients with diabetes, blood pressure drops quicker with more frequent interactions with clinicians
• For-profit dialysis chains have higher mortality rates than non-profit dialysis chain
• Genotype information can make the predicted therapeutic dose of warfarin more accurate
• Giving birth to a small gestational age infant increases likelihood of later maternal ischemic heart disease
• HIV outcomes and medication use are similar between rural and urban HIV patients
• HIV treatment costs much more when patients start treatment later in the disease
• Health information technology improves the timely availability of diagnostic information
• Heart attack victims should use emergency transport services, not self or family to get to the hospital
• Heart block in children following heart surgery increases length of hospital stay and total costs
• Hepatitis C infection does not increase the risk for heart attack
• High performance on quality measures linked to financial benefits for nursing homes
• Higher in-hospital complication rate for primary posterior versus primary anterior cervical fusion
• Higher risk of death or heart attack in first 90 days after cardiac patients stop taking clopidogrel
• Home visits help pregnant, Medicaid-insured women alleviate depressive symptoms
• Hospital Compare data may not help surgical patients find hospitals with better outcomes
• Hospital heart attack deaths plummet
• Hospital lung cancer surgery volume is not correlated with lower mortality
• Hospital report cards on coronary bypass surgery are more accurate when based on 2-year data
• Hospital volume does not predict mortality for patients undergoing lung cancer surgery
• Hospitalizations for bacterial pneumonia in Texas towns bordering Mexico three times higher than the national average
• Hospitals vary greatly in the quality of their trauma care
• Hospitals with more patients who receive angioplasty within 90 minutes of a heart attack have lower mortality rates
• Human growth hormone shows promise in treating cystic fibrosis symptoms
• Immersive simulation training for CPR shows no benefit over standard training
• Impact of anti-arthritis drug on lipid levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis remains unclear
• Implantable heart defibrillator is effective in reducing deaths among older heart failure patients
• Incidence, Predictors, and Outcomes Associated with Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation after Major Noncardiac Surgery
• Increased estradiol levels during critical illness are associated with higher mortality
• Increased fluid and supplemental treatments may reduce recurrence of kidney stones
• Increasing body mass index lowers quality of life in obese individuals
• Individuals who seek care for coughs and colds in emergency departments have social support
• Innovations show the benefits of using phone-based care management
• Instrument that measures quality of life for breast cancer survivors can be used for other cancers
• Insulin pump and glucose monitoring improve blood-sugar control for diabetes patients
• Kidney-sparing surgery for children with renal tumors has equivalent in-hospital results to kidney removal surgery
• Laboratory tests can accurately detect two clotting-factor mutations that raise risk of blood clots
• Landmark initiative to reduce healthcare-associated infections cuts deaths among Medicare patients in Michigan ICUs
• Large vessel occlusion after a mini stroke predicts functional decline
• Leg compression devices are not a significant factor in in-hospital falls
• Limited evidence prevents firm conclusions on rheumatoid arthritis drug therapies
• Liver transplant patients who taper off or do not take corticosteroids after transplantation have better quality of life
• Longer use of electronic health records is not linked to improved quality of care
• Lower mortality rates after surgery at high-volume hospitals due to fewer complications and other factors
• MEPS household survey respondents tend to report some medical conditions more accurately than others
• MEPS respondents underreport emergency department and office visits, but accurately report hospital stays
• Malignant CTA Collateral Profile is Highly Specific for Large Admission DWI Infarct Core and Poor Outcome in Acute Stroke
• Mandated increases in nurse staffing levels unevenly affect uncompensated care growth rates in California hospitals
• Men more likely to be readmitted to hospital after discharge
• Metformin just as effective as other medications for treating type 2 diabetes
• Minimally invasive heart treatments have reduced bypass surgeries and influenced valve repair and replacement
• Minimally invasive prostatectomy in young men has fewer complications
• Minority status has no effect on patient outcomes in the intensive care unit
• Modeling inequalities helps to develop cervical cancer screening strategies that can improve outcomes and reduce disparities
• More research is needed on outcomes after maternal-fetal surgery
• More research needed on coronary artery disease treatments for women
• Most adults with lactose intolerance can tolerate the amount of lactose in a cup of milk
• Nearly 9 percent of children experience agitation during sedation for nonsurgical procedures
• New approach reduces microemboli responsible for neurologic injury following open-heart surgery
• New report shows vaginal birth after cesarean is safe for most women
• New study finds rotator cuff injuries treatable, but evidence unclear whether surgery is preferable
• Newer antidepressants equally effective in treating major depressive disorder
• No evidence of serious cardiovascular events in children and young adults using medications for ADHD
• No greater risk or mortality observed for endoscopic vein harvesting for coronary bypass surgery
• No link found between chemotherapy in older women with breast cancer and later cognitive impairment
• No link found between stimulant treatment of youth with ADHD and cardiovascular problems
• No significant link found between treatments used for juvenile idiopathic arthritis and development of cancer
• Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation improves COPD patient outcomes
• Nuclear kidney scans in children with urinary tract infections increase costs and radiation exposure
• Nurse survey identifies important but underused end-of-life care skills
• Nursing home users of information technology start to see its benefits
• Obese patients with hypertension and diabetes have a greater risk of dying after noncardiac surgery
• Obstetrician malpractice claims lead to small reduction in inpatient deliveries, but not C-section rates
• Octogenarians fare well after aortic valve replacements
• Older medications for epilepsy obtain better control but have more adverse effects
• Older persons with chronic kidney disease and lower systolic blood pressure have higher mortality rates
• Older women with breast cancer experience more complications with brachytherapy than whole breast irradiation
• One in 16 women hospitalized for childbirth has diabetes
• Organizational culture distinguishes top-performing hospitals in patient outcomes from heart attack
• Outcomes and Effectiveness Research
• Outcomes of trauma patients depend heavily on whether recommended practices are followed
• Paper previsit reminders for doctors do not add value to electronic reminders from an electronic health record system
• Partial kidney removal offers survival advantage for elderly patients with small tumors
• Patient Web portals improve diabetes care and outcomes
• Patient gender does not influence the management or diagnosis of acute abdominal pain in the elderly, but affects outcome
• Patient outcomes are better than hospital volume for identifying high-quality bariatric surgery centers
• Patients hospitalized for burn injuries in New York have comparable outcomes at major burn centers
• Patients more likely to follow medication regimens if they share their doctor's beliefs about causes of health outcomes
• Patients recovering from stroke tend to continue using secondary preventive medications
• Patients transferred to the intensive care unit within 24 hours of admission
• Patients who are treated with empathy during office visits get over colds faster
• Patients who suffer strokes and are seen at designated stroke centers fare better in the short and long run
• Patients who take a proton-pump inhibitor with medicine to prevent blood clots are less likely to be hospitalized for bleeding ulcers
• Patients who undergo knee ligament reconstruction do better when the doctor or hospital perform it frequently
• Patients with adult-onset diabetes with limited health literacy more likely to suffer hypoglycemic episodes
• Patients with myelodysplastic syndrome have shorter survival times if they have coexisting medical conditions
• Patients with sepsis fare better when admitted via the emergency department rather than directly to the hospital
• Patients with sickle cell disease employ various strategies to control their pain
• Performance measures for gastroenterology can lead to improved accountability
• Performance measures requiring antibiotics for pneumonia have not boosted antibiotic use in nonpneumonia patients
• Performing cardiac catheterization and heart surgery on different hospital admissions may reduce risk of kidney damage
• Personality factors play a role in responsiveness to disease self-management programs
• Pharmacy intervention for patients with limited literacy evokes positive responses from patients and pharmacists
• Physician personality factors do not seem to influence whether patients with symptoms undergo extended diagnostic evaluations
• Physician-pharmacist teams can help lower blood pressure
• Physicians more reluctant to deactivate some life-sustaining devices than others
• Positive outlooks may bring better outcomes for patients with heart failure
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) associated with elevated hemoglobin A1c levels in low-income blacks with diabetes
• Practice setting, ownership, and specialty all affect volume of charity care provided by physicians
• Pre-existing cardiovascular conditions linked to lower stimulant prescribing rates for adults with ADHD
• Primary anterior cervical fusion has lower in-hospital complication rates and deaths than posterior cervical fusion
• Primary care patients who see physician assistants and nurse practitioners are as complex as those who see doctors
• Process improvements in family practice lead to some improvements in intermediate outcomes
• Prostate cancer deaths drop, but blacks still most likely to die
• Provider's communication style boosts results for acupuncture on arthritic knees
• Providing customized clinical information to patients and physicians does not improve diabetes care
• Published sources on warfarin interactions with other drugs, food, and supplements tend not to agree
• Quality improvement initiative successful in sustaining reduction in bloodstream infections caused by catheters
• Rates of pneumonia dramatically reduced in patients on ventilators in Michigan intensive care units
• Remote supervision of stroke therapy is safe and effective at smaller hospitals
• Rescuer experience with out-of-hospital emergency intubation is often associated with improved patient survival
• Research comparing diabetes medications helps patients and clinicians choose the right one
• Response to etanercept for rheumatoid arthritis can be predicted by 12 weeks
• Review looks at outcomes of patients at different types of long-term care facilities
• Risk of venous thromboembolism low for young trauma patients without a central venous catheter
• Risks high for elderly patients receiving angioplasty to fix narrowed heart artery
• Risks, benefits of emerging heart valve replacement technique not fully understood
• Satisfaction after hysterectomy linked to quality of life improvements
• Serious complications from bariatric surgery are fewer when done by high-volume hospitals and surgeons
• Single-lung transplantation for COPD improves access to transplantation without jeopardizing survival
• Sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension affect in-hospital outcomes of noncardiac surgery
• Socioeconomically disadvantaged blacks have the worst long-term outcomes from work-related low back pain
• Some patients are more satisfied when they are given usually unnecessary antibiotics for upper respiratory infections
• Stroke education program improves medication knowledge and satisfaction with health care providers' explanations
• Studies examine impact of drug caps and pay for performance on care costs and outcomes
• Studies explore rapid treatment of sepsis and cardiac arrest
• Study fails to find link between guideline-based emergency treatment for pediatric asthma and patient outcomes
• Study reveals patterns of readmissions to the intensive care unit
• Study shows Guided Care benefits family caregivers, chronically ill older adults, and physicians, and may reduce costs
• Surgery for ureter congenital abnormality results in efficacy and long-term durability
• Surgical infection prevention measures reduce postoperative infections when used together, but not singly
• Surgical simulation training improves speed and confidence in residents learning endoscopic sinus surgery
• Team-based care of patients with hypertension improves control of blood pressure
• Teenage body size does not predict heart failure in older adults
• Telemedicine dermatology consultations change diagnoses and improve outcomes
• The role of hospital care in general medical care has declined over time
• The stability of a usual source of care is important to the care of low-income children
• Thoracic surgeons can help patients stop smoking with a brief smoking cessation program
• Treatment for blocked carotid arteries varies depending on where you live
• Treatment without examination and lab tests appears effective for some women with vaginal symptoms
• Treatments show promise in reducing autism-related behaviors, but some have significant side effects
• Tumor necrosis factor-antagonists in patients with autoimmune diseases showed no overall increased risk of hospitalizations for serious infections than non-biologic drugs
• Two approaches help identify cardiac surgery patients at risk for postoperative kidney failure
• Two-thirds of people with diabetes miss some critically important exams to manage the disease
• U.S.-born Mexican women who have adopted U.S. culture may be more at risk for cervical cancer
• Uncontrolled asthma events among Massachusetts patients declined between 2002 and 2007
• Use of pulmonary artery catheters provides no patient benefit and increases costs
• Using bar-code technology with eMAR reduces medication administration and transcription errors
• Using quitlines with physician support improves smoking cessation
• Vaginal births after cesarean are safe for most women
• Various factors influence the adoption of ergonomics in health care organizations
• Venous thromboembolism is rare in young trauma patients, but a better understanding of its risk factors is needed
• Veterans who use pharmacy services at VA facilities tend to be sicker, poorer, and have no alternative insurance
• Ways to reduce contrast-induced acute kidney injury from imaging procedures in patients with cardiovascular disease
• Women's lack of knowledge and mistrust play a role in underuse of breast cancer adjuvant therapy
• Women's self-reported stress seems to jibe with a common stress biomarker