National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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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 25 of 88 Research Studies DisplayedBingham CA, Harris JG, Qui T
Pediatric Rheumatology Care and Outcomes Improvement Network's quality measure set to improve care of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
The objective of this study was to describe the selection, development, and implementation of quality measures for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) by the Pediatric Rheumatology Care and Outcomes Improvement Network (PR-COIN), a multihospital learning health network. Clinicians in PR-COIN and parents of children with JIA collaboratively selected outcome quality measures and a committee of rheumatologists and data analysts developed operational definitions. Initial measures were clinical inactive disease, low pain score, and optimal physical functioning; the revised set included additional measures of disease activity, data quality, and a balancing measure. The authors concluded that PR-COIN's set of JIA quality measures is the first comprehensive set used at the point-of-care for a large cohort of JIA patients in a variety of pediatric rheumatology practice settings.
AHRQ-funded; HS021114.
Citation: Bingham CA, Harris JG, Qui T .
Pediatric Rheumatology Care and Outcomes Improvement Network's quality measure set to improve care of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
Arthritis Care Res 2023 Dec; 75(12):2442-52. doi: 10.1002/acr.25168.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Arthritis, Quality Measures, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice
McHugh M, Heinrich J, Philbin S
Declining participation in primary care quality improvement research: a qualitative study.
This qualitative study’s aim was to identify factors leading primary care practices to decline participation in quality initiative (QI) projects, and strategies to improve the feasibility and attractiveness of QI projects in the future. The authors contacted 109 representatives of practices that had declined participation in 1 of 4 AHRQ-funded EvidenceNOW projects. The representatives were invited to either participate in a 15-minute interview or complete a 5-question questionnaire. Representatives from 31 practices responded. Reasons for declining included staff turnover, staffing shortages, and general time constraints, exacerbated by the pandemic, preventing participation in the QI projects. Secondary reasons included challenges with electronic health records, an expectation of greater financial compensation for participation, and confidence in the practices' current care practices. Tying participation to value-based programs and offering greater compensation were identified as strategies to facilitate recruitment. However, none of the respondents’ recommendations addressed the primary issues of staffing challenges and time constraints.
AHRQ-funded; HS027954.
Citation: McHugh M, Heinrich J, Philbin S .
Declining participation in primary care quality improvement research: a qualitative study.
Ann Fam Med 2023 Sep-Oct; 21(5):388-94. doi: 10.1370/afm.3007..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Primary Care, Quality of Care, Practice Improvement, Organizational Change, Evidence-Based Practice
Lindner SR, Balasubramanian B, Marino M
Estimating the cardiovascular disease risk reduction of a quality improvement initiative in primary care: findings from EvidenceNOW.
The purpose of this study was to estimate decreases in 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk associated with EvidenceNOW, an initiative spanning multiple states that sought to improve cardiovascular preventive care by providing supportive interventions such as practice facilitation to address the “ABCS”: (A)spirin for high-risk patients, (B)lood pressure control for hypertensive people, (C)holesterol management, and (S)moking screening and cessation counseling. The researchers conducted an analytic modeling study that combined 1) data from 1,278 EvidenceNOW practices collected from 2015 to 2017; (2) patient-level information of 1,295 individuals who participated in the 2015 to 2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; and (3) 10-year ASCVD risk prediction equations. The study found the average 10-year ASCVD risk of these patients before intervention was 10.11%. Improvements in ABCS due to EvidenceNOW reduced their 10-year ASCVD risk to 10.03% which would prevent 3,169 ASCVD events over 10 years and $150 million in 90-day direct medical costs.
AHRQ-funded; HS023940.
Citation: Lindner SR, Balasubramanian B, Marino M .
Estimating the cardiovascular disease risk reduction of a quality improvement initiative in primary care: findings from EvidenceNOW.
J Am Board Fam Med 2023 May 8; 36(3):462-76. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2022.220331R1..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Primary Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Blood Pressure
McHugh M, Philbin S, Carroll AJ
An approach to evaluating multisector partnerships to support evidence-based quality improvement in primary care.
This study’s goal was to describe an approach for evaluating the development and effectiveness of a multisector partnership using data from the first year of the Healthy Hearts for Michigan (HH4M) Cooperative, a multisector partnership of nine organizations tasked with designing and implementing evidence-based QI strategies for hypertension management and tobacco cessation in 50 rural primary care practices. A 49-item survey focused on factors that facilitate or hinder multisector partnerships, drawing on implementation science and partnership, engagement, and collaboration research was developed. All 44 members of the HH4M Cooperative (79.5% response rate) were surveyed, interviews conducted with 14 members. Having a clear purpose and trust and respect among members were the strengths reported. A need for common terminology, clarification of roles and functions, and improvement in communication across workgroups were areas for improvement. The Cooperative’s biggest challenge was the lack of engagement from physician practices due to capacity constraints, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
AHRQ-funded; HS027954.
Citation: McHugh M, Philbin S, Carroll AJ .
An approach to evaluating multisector partnerships to support evidence-based quality improvement in primary care.
Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2023 Apr;49(4):199-206. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2023.01.002.
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Evidence-Based Practice, Primary Care, Quality of Care, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Kuzel AJ, Cuellar A, Nichols L
The EvidenceNOW practice support initiative: the Heart of Virginia Healthcare.
The purpose of this study was for The Heart of Virginia Health care (HVH) collaborative (one of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) Evidence Now project’s 7 collaboratives) to test different ways to improve performance and outcomes on ABCS clinical quality measures (appropriate Aspirin use, Blood pressure control, Cholesterol control, and Smoking cessation counseling) within small primary care practices. The researchers recruited 264 eligible practices and randomized them to 3 cohorts in a stepped wedge design, with 173, utilizing 16 different EHRs, participated through the entire initiative. Trained coaches delivered the practice support curriculum to improve performance on the ABCS measures. The program included an initial kickoff meeting, 3 months of focused support, 9 months of continued support, and access to online materials and faculty. The intervention phase was shortened due to difficulty in recruiting a sufficient number of practices. The study found that the short HVH intervention had a small but statistically significant positive average effects on appropriate use of aspirin and other anti-thrombotics, small negative effects on blood pressure control, except for those practices which did not attend the kickoff, and small negative effects on smoking cessation counseling. The researchers concluded that the truncation of the intervention contributed to the lack of substantial improvements in the ABCS.
AHRQ-funded; HS023913.
Citation: Kuzel AJ, Cuellar A, Nichols L .
The EvidenceNOW practice support initiative: the Heart of Virginia Healthcare.
J Am Board Fam Med 2022 Oct 18;35(5):979-89. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2022.05.210021..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Evidence-Based Practice, Primary Care, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Healthcare Delivery
Schnipper JL, Reyes Nieva H, Mallouk M
Effects of a refined evidence-based toolkit and mentored implementation on medication reconciliation at 18 hospitals: results of the MARQUIS2 study.
This study was a follow-up of the first Multicenter Medication Reconciliation Quality Improvement Study (MARQUIS1) that demonstrated mentored implementation of a medication reconciliation best practices toolkit. The toolkit decreased total unintentional medication discrepancies in five hospitals, but results varied by site. The toolkit has been refined with lessons learned and retooled as MARQUIS2. The tool was implemented at 18 North American hospitals or hospital systems from 2016 to 2018, offering 17 system-level and 6-patient-level interventions. One of eight physicians coached each site remotely via monthly calls and one or two site visits. A total of 4947 patients were sampled, with 1229 preimplementation and 3718 postimplementation. A steady decline in medication discrepancy rates were experienced from 2.85 discrepancies per patient down to 0.98 discrepancies. An interrupted time series analysis of the 17 sites showed the intervention was associated with a 5% relative decrease in discrepancies per month.
AHRQ-funded; HS025486; HS023757.
Citation: Schnipper JL, Reyes Nieva H, Mallouk M .
Effects of a refined evidence-based toolkit and mentored implementation on medication reconciliation at 18 hospitals: results of the MARQUIS2 study.
BMJ Qual Saf 2022 Apr;31(4):278-86. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2020-012709..
Keywords: Medication, Evidence-Based Practice, Tools & Toolkits, Implementation, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Medication: Safety, Patient Safety
Richardson JE, Rasmussen LV, Dorr DA
Generating and reporting electronic clinical quality measures from electronic health records: strategies from EvidenceNOW cooperatives.
This study’s goal was to characterize strategies that seven regional cooperatives participating in the EvidenceNOW initiative developed to generate and report electronic health record (EHR)-based electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) for quality improvement (QI) in small-to-medium-sized practices. Findings showed that cooperatives ultimately generated and reported eCQMs using hybrid strategies because they determined that neither EHRs alone nor centralized sources alone could operationalize eCQMs for QI. In order to attain this goal, cooperatives needed to devise solutions and utilize resources that often are unavailable to typical small-to-medium-sized practices.
AHRQ-funded; HS023921.
Citation: Richardson JE, Rasmussen LV, Dorr DA .
Generating and reporting electronic clinical quality measures from electronic health records: strategies from EvidenceNOW cooperatives.
Appl Clin Inform 2022 Mar;13(2):485-94. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1748145..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality Measures, Quality of Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Primary Care
Hysong Hysong, Arredondo K, Hughes AM
An evidence-based, structured, expert approach to selecting essential indicators of primary care quality.
The purpose of this article was to illustrate the application of an evidence-based, structured performance measurement methodology to identify, prioritize, and generate new measures of health care quality, using primary care as a case example. Subject matter experts identified three fundamental objectives: access, patient-health care team partnerships, and technical quality. The authors indicated that their article provides an actionable guide to applying their Productivity Measurement and Enhancement System, which can be adapted to the needs of various industries, including measure selection and modification from existing data sources, and proposing new measures.
Citation: Hysong Hysong, Arredondo K, Hughes AM .
An evidence-based, structured, expert approach to selecting essential indicators of primary care quality.
PLoS One 2022 Jan 18;17(1):e0261263. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261263..
Keywords: Primary Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Quality Improvement, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality Measures, Quality of Care
Franklin PD, Bond CP, Rothrock NE
Strategies for effective implementation of patient-reported outcome measures in arthroplasty practice.
This study’s goal was to synthesize patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) implementation strategies that are successfully used by hundreds of arthroplasty surgeons and early PROM-adopter clinical systems. The authors developed guidelines to inform clinical care, drive quality-improvement activities, and support reporting for payer-sponsored incentives. They also outlined future research that is needed to define methods for optimal patient engagement, technology infrastructure, and operational systems to seamlessly integrate PROM collection in clinical care.
AHRQ-funded; HS018910.
Citation: Franklin PD, Bond CP, Rothrock NE .
Strategies for effective implementation of patient-reported outcome measures in arthroplasty practice.
J Bone Joint Surg Am 2021 Dec 15;103(24):e97. doi: 10.2106/jbjs.20.02072..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Orthopedics, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Implementation, Outcomes
Bender M, Williams M, Cruz MF
A study protocol to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the Clinical Nurse Leader care model in improving quality and safety outcomes.
The authors discuss the Clinical Nurse Leader care model, a Hybrid Type II Implementation-Effectiveness study to evaluate the effect of the care model on standardized quality and safety outcomes and to identify implementation characteristics that are sufficient and necessary to achieve outcomes. Findings are expected to elucidate Registered Nurse's mechanisms of action as organized into frontline models of care and link actions to improved care quality and safety.
AHRQ-funded; HS027181.
Citation: Bender M, Williams M, Cruz MF .
A study protocol to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the Clinical Nurse Leader care model in improving quality and safety outcomes.
Nurs Open 2021 Nov;8(6):3688-96. doi: 10.1002/nop2.910..
Keywords: Implementation, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Patient Safety, Nursing, Evidence-Based Practice
Delaney LD, Howard R, Palazzolo K
Outcomes of a presurgical optimization program for elective hernia repairs among high-risk patients.
The authors evaluated the feasibility of evidence-based patient optimization before surgery by implementing a low-cost preoperative optimization clinic. They found that a hernia optimization clinic safely improved management of high-risk patients and increased operative yield for the institution. They concluded that their results represented an opportunity to create sustainable and scalable models that provide longitudinal care and optimize patients to improve outcomes of hernia repair.
AHRQ-funded; HS025778.
Citation: Delaney LD, Howard R, Palazzolo K .
Outcomes of a presurgical optimization program for elective hernia repairs among high-risk patients.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Nov;4(11):e2130016. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.30016..
Keywords: Surgery, Risk, Evidence-Based Practice, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Outcomes
Swietek KE, Domino ME, Grove LR
Duration of medical home participation and quality of care for patients with chronic conditions.
The objective of this study was to examine whether the length of participation in a patient-centered medical home (PCMH), an evidence-based practice, led to higher quality care for Medicaid enrollees with multiple co-morbid chronic conditions and major depressive disorder (MDD). The investigators concluded that the PCMH model was associated with higher quality of care for patients with multiple chronic conditions and MDD over time, and these benefits increased the longer a patient was enrolled.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032; HS019659.
Citation: Swietek KE, Domino ME, Grove LR .
Duration of medical home participation and quality of care for patients with chronic conditions.
Health Serv Res 2021 Oct;56(Suppl 1):1069-79. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13710..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Quality of Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Depression, Behavioral Health
Bierman AS, Wang J, O'Malley PG
AHRQ Author: Bierman AS, Wang J, O'Malley PG, Moss DK
Transforming care for people with multiple chronic conditions: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's research agenda.
This article describes issues addressing the needs of those with multiple chronic conditions and discusses the AHRQ research agenda.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Bierman AS, Wang J, O'Malley PG .
Transforming care for people with multiple chronic conditions: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's research agenda.
Health Serv Res 2021 Oct;56(Suppl 1):973-79. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13863..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Health Services Research (HSR), Healthcare Delivery, Quality of Care, Primary Care, Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice
Trent SA, George N, Havranek EP
Established evidence-based treatment guidelines help mitigate disparities in quality of emergency care.
Evidence-based guidelines are often cited as a means of ensuring high-quality care for all patients. The objective of this study was to assess whether emergency department (ED) adherence to core evidence-based guidelines differed by patient sex and race/ethnicity and to assess the effect of ED guideline adherence on patient outcomes by sex and race/ethnicity. The investigators concluded that longstanding, nationally reported evidence-based guidelines can help eliminate sex and race/ethnicity disparities in quality of care.
AHRQ-funded; HS022400.
Citation: Trent SA, George N, Havranek EP .
Established evidence-based treatment guidelines help mitigate disparities in quality of emergency care.
Acad Emerg Med 2021 Sep;28(9):1051-60. doi: 10.1111/acem.14235..
Keywords: Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Emergency Department, Disparities, Quality of Care
Berry CA, Nguyen AM, Cuthel AM
Measuring implementation strategy fidelity in HealthyHearts NYC: a complex intervention using practice facilitation in primary care.
This study measured implementation strategy fidelity for the HealthyHearts NYC intervention program, an AHRQ-funded program that uses practice facilitation (PF) to improve adoption of cardiovascular disease evidence-based guidelines in primary care practices. Data from 257 practices measured fidelity using 4 categories: frequency, duration, content, and coverage. Almost all (94.2%) of practices received at least the 13 PF visits with an average 26.3 hours spent at each site by facilitators. Most practices (95.7%) completed all Task List items, and 71.2% were educated on all Chronic Care Models, with the majority (65.8%) receiving full coverage.
AHRQ-funded; HS023922.
Citation: Berry CA, Nguyen AM, Cuthel AM .
Measuring implementation strategy fidelity in HealthyHearts NYC: a complex intervention using practice facilitation in primary care.
Am J Med Qual 2021 Jul-Aug;36(4):270-76. doi: 10.1177/1062860620959450..
Keywords: Implementation, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Primary Care, Practice Improvement, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Primary Care: Models of Care
Pham-Singer H, Onakomaiya M, Cuthel A
Using a customer relationship management system to manage a quality improvement intervention.
HealthyHearts New York City (HHNYC), one of 7 cooperatives funded through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's EvidenceNOW initiative, evaluated the impact of practice facilitation on implementation of the Million Hearts guidelines for cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment. Tracking the intervention required a system to facilitate process data collection that was also user-friendly and flexible. Coupled with protocols and training, a strategically planned and customizable customer relationship management system (CRMS) was implemented to support the quality improvement intervention with 257 small independent practices.
AHRQ-funded; HS023922.
Citation: Pham-Singer H, Onakomaiya M, Cuthel A .
Using a customer relationship management system to manage a quality improvement intervention.
Am J Med Qual 2021 Jul-Aug;36(4):247-54. doi: 10.1177/1062860620953214..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Implementation, Evidence-Based Practice, Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Primary Care
Cohen DJ, Sweeney SM, Miller WL
Improving smoking and blood pressure outcomes: the interplay between operational changes and local context.
This study identified conditions and operational changes linked to improvements in smoking and blood pressure (BP) outcomes in primary care using samples and interviews from a subset of 104 practices participating in EvidenceNOW, a multisite cardiovascular disease prevention initiative. The authors calculated Clinical Quality Measure improvements, with targets of 10-point or greater absolute improvements in the proportion of patients with smoking screening, and if relevant, counseling and the proportion of hypertensive patients with adequately controlled BP. Primary care staff were surveyed and interviewed. In clinician-owned practices, implementing a workflow to routinely screen and counsel patients on smoking cessation resources, or implementing a documentation change or a referral to a resource alone led to an improvement of at least 10 points in the smoking outcome. These improvements did not occur though in health- or hospital system-owned practices or in Federally Qualified Health Centers. BP outcome improved by at least 10 points among solo practices after medical assistants learned how to take an accurate BP. Among larger, clinician-owned practices, BP outcomes improvement took place when staff took a second BP measurement after the first measurement was elevated and when staff learned where to document this information in the electronic health record. For larger and health- and hospital system-owned practices, 50 or more hours of facilitation was needed to improve BP outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS023940.
Citation: Cohen DJ, Sweeney SM, Miller WL .
Improving smoking and blood pressure outcomes: the interplay between operational changes and local context.
Ann Fam Med 2021 May-Jun;19(3):240-48. doi: 10.1370/afm.2668..
Keywords: Blood Pressure, Tobacco Use, Primary Care, Quality Improvement, Cardiovascular Conditions, Quality of Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Prevention, Outcomes
Paul R, Niedner M, Brilli R
Metric development for the multicenter Improving Pediatric Sepsis Outcomes (IPSO) Collaborative.
A 56 US hospital collaborative, Improving Pediatric Sepsis Outcomes (IPSO), has developed variables, metrics and a data analysis plan to track quality improvement (QI)-based patient outcomes over time. Improving Pediatric Sepsis Outcomes expands on previous pediatric sepsis QI efforts by improving electronic data capture and uniformity across sites. This paper describes the metric development for the multicenter IPSO Collaborative.
AHRQ-funded; HS025696.
Citation: Paul R, Niedner M, Brilli R .
Metric development for the multicenter Improving Pediatric Sepsis Outcomes (IPSO) Collaborative.
Pediatrics 2021 May;147(5):e2020017889. doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-017889..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Sepsis, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice
Dworsky JQ, Shenoy R, Childers CP
Older veterans undergoing inpatient surgery: what is the compliance with best practice guidelines?
This study’s objective was to determine the documented compliance with best practice guidelines for optimal perioperative care for the older adult surgical patient that were created by the American College of Surgeons Quality Improvement Program and the American Geriatrics Society. The guidelines include 38 measures. A retrospective chart review was conducted on 86 older adults undergoing elective inpatient coronary artery bypass graft, prostatectomy, or colectomy over a 2-year period at a single Veterans Affairs hospital. Mean reported compliance across measures was 41% ± 4%. Of the 38 analyzed measures, 10 measures were achieved for 0 patients, and only 1 patient for 7 measures. Future work is needed to understand barriers for implementation.
AHRQ-funded; HS000046.
Citation: Dworsky JQ, Shenoy R, Childers CP .
Older veterans undergoing inpatient surgery: what is the compliance with best practice guidelines?
Surgery 2021 Feb;169(2):356-61. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2020.08.033..
Keywords: Elderly, Surgery, Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Quality Measures
Solberg LI, Kuzel A, Parchman ML
A taxonomy for external support for practice transformation.
There is no commonly accepted comprehensive framework for describing the practical specifics of external support for practice change. In this study, the researchers’goal was to develop a taxonomy that could be used by both external groups or researchers and health care leaders. The leaders of 8 grants from Agency for Research and Quality for the EvidenceNOW study of improving cardiovascular preventive services in over 1500 primary care practices nationwide worked collaboratively over 18 months to develop descriptions of key domains that might comprehensively characterize any external support intervention.
AHRQ-funded; HS023940.
Citation: Solberg LI, Kuzel A, Parchman ML .
A taxonomy for external support for practice transformation.
J Am Board Fam Med 2021 Jan-Feb;34(1):32-39. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2021.01.200225..
Keywords: Primary Care, Healthcare Delivery, Cardiovascular Conditions, Evidence-Based Practice, Prevention, Quality Improvement, Practice Improvement, Quality of Care
Reisz PA, Laviana AA, Zhao Z
Assessing the quality of surgical care for clinically localized prostate cancer: results from the CEASAR study.
Prior studies suggest that nationally endorsed quality measures for prostate cancer care are not linked closely with outcomes. Using a prospective, population based cohort the investigators measured clinically relevant variation in structure, process and outcome measures in men undergoing radical prostatectomy. The authors did not identify and meaningful variation in quality of care across racial groups, age groups and surgeon volume strata, in this cohort, suggesting that men were receiving comparable quality of care across these strata.
AHRQ-funded; HS019356.
Citation: Reisz PA, Laviana AA, Zhao Z .
Assessing the quality of surgical care for clinically localized prostate cancer: results from the CEASAR study.
J Urol 2020 Dec;204(6):1236-41. doi: 10.1097/ju.0000000000001198..
Keywords: Surgery, Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Cancer, Quality of Care, Quality of Life, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Comparative Effectiveness, Evidence-Based Practice
Hu QL, Grant MC, Hornor MA
Technical evidence review for emergency major abdominal operation conducted for the AHRQ Safety Program for Improving Surgical Care and Recovery.
This technical evidence review focuses on the use of enhanced recovery pathways (ERPs) for emergency major abdominal surgery conducted for the AHRQ Safety Program for Improving Surgical Care and Recovery (ISCR). This national ERP initiative is funded by AHRQ and implemented in 2017 through a collaboration with American College of Surgeons, and Johns Hopkins Medicine Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality. Five common emergency general surgery (EGS) procedures were focused on: perforated peptic ulcer repair, colectomy, lysis of adhesions, small bowel resection, and exploratory laparotomy. The authors identified seventeen candidate components for emergency major abdominal ERP. The components span the continuum of care from preoperative setting to hospital discharge. For every component they conducted a systematic literature review to find relevant studies. Each component was examined for rationale, evidence, and summary and recommendations. Many were supported by evidence and guidelines specific to their particular operation. Key gaps in literature were highlighted, specifically lack of evidence specific to these operations across many ERP processes.
AHRQ-funded; 233201500020I.
Citation: Hu QL, Grant MC, Hornor MA .
Technical evidence review for emergency major abdominal operation conducted for the AHRQ Safety Program for Improving Surgical Care and Recovery.
J Am Coll Surg 2020 Dec;231(6):743-64.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2020.08.772..
Keywords: Evidence-Based Practice, Surgery, Patient Safety, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Hu QL, Fischer CP, Wescott AB
Evidence review for the American College of Surgeons Quality Verification part I: building quality and safety resources and infrastructure.
The goal of this review was to synthesize the evidence supporting the first 4 of 12 American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality Verification Program core principles of building quality and safety resources and infrastructure. Findings showed that, despite heterogeneous study design and lack of randomized controlled trials, the available literature supports the importance of committed top-level hospital leadership, mid-level leadership, and committee dedicated to surgical quality and culture of safety and high reliability. In conclusion, adequate resources and infrastructure integral to the ACS Quality Verification Program are critical to achieving safe and high-quality surgical outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; 233201500020I.
Citation: Hu QL, Fischer CP, Wescott AB .
Evidence review for the American College of Surgeons Quality Verification part I: building quality and safety resources and infrastructure.
J Am Coll Surg 2020 Nov;231(5):557-69.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2020.08.758..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Patient Safety, Surgery, Evidence-Based Practice
Fernald DH, Mullen R,, Hall T
Exemplary practices in cardiovascular care: results on clinical quality measures from the EvidenceNOW Southwest Cooperative.
The authors identified practice characteristics associated with high performance on four cardiovascular disease cardiovascular clinical quality measures (CQMs). They found that multiple strategies - registries, prompts and protocols, patient self-management support, and patient-team partnership activities - were associated with delivering high-quality cardiovascular care over time, measured by CQMs.
AHRQ-funded; HS023904.
Citation: Fernald DH, Mullen R,, Hall T .
Exemplary practices in cardiovascular care: results on clinical quality measures from the EvidenceNOW Southwest Cooperative.
J Gen Intern Med 2020 Nov;35(11):3197-204. doi: 10.1007/s11606-020-06094-5..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality Measures, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Primary Care
Shoemaker-Hunt S, Hall K, Hoffman L
Advancing patient safety: reviews from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Making Healthcare Safer III report.
This paper discusses the Making Healthcare Safer (MHS) reports from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The reports—providing an analysis of the evidence for various patient safety practices (PSPs)—have served as a consolidated and up-to-date source of information for multiple stakeholders, including healthcare providers, health system administrators, researchers, and government agencies.
AHRQ-funded; 233201500013I.
Citation: Shoemaker-Hunt S, Hall K, Hoffman L .
Advancing patient safety: reviews from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Making Healthcare Safer III report.
J Patient Saf 2020 Sep;16(3S Suppl 1):S1-s2. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000000761..
Keywords: Patient Safety, Evidence-Based Practice, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care