National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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Search All Research Studies
Topics
- Adverse Events (1)
- Care Coordination (1)
- Chronic Conditions (1)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (1)
- (-) Communication (5)
- Education: Patient and Caregiver (2)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (2)
- Electronic Prescribing (E-Prescribing) (1)
- Healthcare Delivery (1)
- (-) Health Information Technology (HIT) (5)
- Health Literacy (1)
- Hospital Discharge (2)
- Medical Errors (2)
- (-) Medication (5)
- Medication: Safety (2)
- Opioids (1)
- Patient Safety (3)
- Provider (1)
- Provider: Clinician (1)
- Risk (1)
- Transitions of Care (1)
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 5 of 5 Research Studies DisplayedKandaswamy S, Pruitt Z, Kazi S
Clinician perceptions on the use of free-text communication orders.
The aim of this study was to investigate (1) why ordering clinicians use free-text orders to communicate medication information; (2) what risks physicians and nurses perceive when free-text orders are used for communicating medication information; and (3) how electronic health records (EHRs) could be improved to encourage the safe communication of medication information. The investigators concluded that clinicians' use of free-text orders as a workaround to insufficient structured order entry can create unintended patient safety risks.
AHRQ-funded; HS025136; HS024755.
Citation: Kandaswamy S, Pruitt Z, Kazi S .
Clinician perceptions on the use of free-text communication orders.
Appl Clin Inform 2021 May;12(3):484-94. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1731002..
Keywords: Electronic Prescribing (E-Prescribing), Health Information Technology (HIT), Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Medication: Safety, Medication, Patient Safety, Communication, Provider: Clinician, Provider, Risk
McCarthy DM, Curtis LM, Courtney DM
A multifaceted intervention to improve patient knowledge and safe use of opioids: results of the ED EMC(2) randomized controlled trial.
Despite increased focus on opioid prescribing, little is known about the influence of prescription opioid medication information given to patients in the emergency department (ED). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an Electronic Medication Complete Communication (EMC(2)) Opioid Strategy on patients' safe use of opioids and knowledge about opioids. The study found that the EMC(2) tools improved demonstrated safe dosing, but these benefits did not translate into actual use based on medication dairies. The text-messaging intervention did result in improved patient knowledge.
AHRQ-funded; HS023459.
Citation: McCarthy DM, Curtis LM, Courtney DM .
A multifaceted intervention to improve patient knowledge and safe use of opioids: results of the ED EMC(2) randomized controlled trial.
Acad Emerg Med 2019 Dec;26(12):1311-25. doi: 10.1111/acem.13860..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Medication: Safety, Patient Safety, Health Literacy, Education: Patient and Caregiver, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Wyatt DL
AHRQ Author: Wyatt DL
Employing technology to make care transitions safer.
This commentary discusses the potential for errors in patient handoffs; important information about medications and instructions regarding patient care may be overlooked when the patient is referred to special care, moved to a new hospital setting, or discharged. The problem is especially acute for patients with multiple chronic conditions who often undergo frequent transitions to new care settings and healthcare providers. The author describes AHRQ’s funding opportunities for health information technology interventions that aim to improve communication and coordination during care transitions, such as location-based smartphone alerts, a patient-centered discharge toolkit, and a ‘smart pillbox’ electronic medication adherence reporting project.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Wyatt DL .
Employing technology to make care transitions safer.
J Nurs Care Qual 2019 Jul/Sep;34(3):185-88. doi: 10.1097/ncq.0000000000000417..
Keywords: Adverse Events, Care Coordination, Chronic Conditions, Communication, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery, Hospital Discharge, Medical Errors, Medication, Patient Safety, Transitions of Care
Ancker JS, Send A, Hafeez B
Health IT usability focus section: adapting EHR-based medication instructions to comply with plain language guidance-a randomized experiment.
Using examples of clinician-written medication instructions from an electronic health record, the investigators conducted an experiment to determine whether parental misinterpretations would be reduced by instructions that followed best practices for plain language. The researchers found that a relatively simple intervention of revising text was associated with a modest reduction in frequency of misinterpretations of medication instructions.
AHRQ-funded; HS021531.
Citation: Ancker JS, Send A, Hafeez B .
Health IT usability focus section: adapting EHR-based medication instructions to comply with plain language guidance-a randomized experiment.
Appl Clin Inform 2017 Oct;8(4):1127-43. doi: 10.4338/aci-2017-06-ra-0111..
Keywords: Communication, Education: Patient and Caregiver, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Medication
Smith KJ, Handler SM, Kapoor WN
Automated communication tools and computer-based medication reconciliation to decrease hospital discharge medication errors.
This study examines a health care system’s implementation of a broader set of automated primary care physician communication tools, including computerized medication reconciliation, and its impact on discharge medication errors. It found that implementation of automated health system–based tools, including computerized discharge medication reconciliation, decreased hospital discharge medication errors in medically complex patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS018151.
Citation: Smith KJ, Handler SM, Kapoor WN .
Automated communication tools and computer-based medication reconciliation to decrease hospital discharge medication errors.
Am J Med Qual 2016 Jul;31(4):315-22. doi: 10.1177/1062860615574327..
Keywords: Health Information Technology (HIT), Communication, Medication, Medical Errors, Hospital Discharge