National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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Search All Research Studies
Topics
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (1)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (6)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (1)
- Communication (1)
- Community-Based Practice (1)
- Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) (3)
- Evidence-Based Practice (5)
- Healthcare Delivery (7)
- Heart Disease and Health (3)
- Implementation (5)
- Organizational Change (5)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (6)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (2)
- Patient Experience (2)
- (-) Practice Improvement (21)
- Prevention (3)
- Primary Care (16)
- Primary Care: Models of Care (2)
- Provider (2)
- (-) Quality Improvement (21)
- Quality of Care (20)
- Rural Health (1)
- Teams (1)
- Urban Health (1)
- Vulnerable Populations (1)
- Workflow (1)
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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 21 of 21 Research Studies DisplayedMcHugh 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
Quigley DD, Quereshi N, Hays RD
Reasons primary care practices chose patient experience surveys during patient-centered medical home transformation.
This study’s objective was to identify reasons primary care practices chose to implement a patient experience survey during their patient-centered medical home transformation. The authors conducted interviews with a stratified-random sample of 105 of these practices. Fifty-one practices used a Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey and 53 administered another patient survey. The three most common reasons to use a survey were given as: (1) to compare performance against other practices, which requires systematically collected data across large numbers of practices (ie, the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey), (2) participation in an external patient-centered medical home program, and (3) survey administration cost. A second patient survey was used to identify quality improvement needs.
AHRQ-funded; HS016980; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Quereshi N, Hays RD .
Reasons primary care practices chose patient experience surveys during patient-centered medical home transformation.
J Ambul Care Manage 2023 Jan-Mar;46(1):34-44. doi: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000442.
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care, Quality Improvement, Practice Improvement
Quigley DD, Qureshi N, Palimaru A
Content and actionability of recommendations to providers after shadow coaching.
This paper examined the content of the recommendations given to shadow-coached providers aimed at improving provider-patient interactions, to characterize these recommendations, and to examine their actionability. Using CAHPS data, the study’s findings showed that patient experience surveys were effective at identifying where improvement is needed but are not always informative enough to instruct providers on how to modify and improve their interactions with patients. Analyzing the feedback given to coached providers as part of an effective shadow-coaching program provides details about implementation on shadow-coaching feedback.
AHRQ-funded; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Qureshi N, Palimaru A .
Content and actionability of recommendations to providers after shadow coaching.
Qual Manag Health Care 2022 Oct-Dec;31(4):199-209. doi: 10.1097/qmh.0000000000000354..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Patient Experience, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Practice Improvement, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Sweeney SM, Baron A, Hall JD
Effective facilitator strategies for supporting primary care practice change: a mixed methods study.
Investigators conducted a pragmatic qualitative study with patients who had participated in a health-related social needs (HRSN) intervention. They found that patients were likely to have initial skepticism or reservations about the intervention; they identified 4 positive intervention components regarding patient experience; and they found that patients could be left with feelings of appreciation or hope, regardless of whether they connected with HRSN resources.
AHRQ-funded; HS023940.
Citation: Sweeney SM, Baron A, Hall JD .
Effective facilitator strategies for supporting primary care practice change: a mixed methods study.
Ann Fam Med 2022 Sep-Oct;20(5):414-22. doi: 10.1370/afm.2847..
Keywords: Primary Care, Practice Improvement, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Perry CK, Linder S, Hall J
How type of practice ownership affects participation with quality improvement external facilitation: findings from EvidenceNOW.
This study examined how practice ownership influences participation in external facilitation using data from EvidenceNOW. The authors collected data from practices on practice characteristics and ownership type via surveys and from facilitators on the number of hours, encounters, and months each practice had with a facilitator via facilitation logs. Semi-structured interviewers with EvidenceNOW leadership (n = 12) and facilitators (n = 51) were conducted, and facilitators (n = 64) were observed for patterns of facilitation. In the fully adjusted model, differences by ownership were non-significant. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) however, had significantly less participation in facilitation than clinician-owned practices for the measures number of encounters and number of months with encounters.
AHRQ-funded; HS023940.
Citation: Perry CK, Linder S, Hall J .
How type of practice ownership affects participation with quality improvement external facilitation: findings from EvidenceNOW.
J Gen Intern Med 2022 Mar;37(4):793-801. doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-07204-7..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Primary Care, Practice Improvement
Hemler JR, Edwards ST, Valenzuela S
The effects of major disruptions on practice participation in facilitation during a primary care quality improvement initiative.
This study explored the relationship between disruptions in primary care practices and practice participation in facilitated quality improvement (QI). Using data from EvidenceNOW, findings showed that disruptions are prevalent in primary care, but practices can continue participating in QI interventions, particularly when supported by a facilitator.
AHRQ-funded; HS023940.
Citation: Hemler JR, Edwards ST, Valenzuela S .
The effects of major disruptions on practice participation in facilitation during a primary care quality improvement initiative.
J Am Board Fam Med 2022 Jan-Feb;35(1):124-39. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2022.01.210205..
Keywords: Primary Care, Practice Improvement, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Workforce
Linzer M, Neprash H, Brown R
Where trust flourishes: perceptions of clinicians who trust their organizations and are trusted by their patients.
Investigators sought to determine perceived characteristics of clinics by clinicians who trust their organizations and whose patients have trust in them. Baseline data was obtained from the Healthy Work Place trial and included 165 clinicians with 1,132 patients. They found that high clinician-high patient trust occurred when clinicians perceived their organizational cultures to have (1) an emphasis on quality, (2) an emphasis on communication and information, (3) cohesiveness among clinicians, and (4) values alignment between clinicians and leaders.
AHRQ-funded; HS018160.
Citation: Linzer M, Neprash H, Brown R .
Where trust flourishes: perceptions of clinicians who trust their organizations and are trusted by their patients.
Ann Fam Med 2021 Nov-Dec;19(6):521-26. doi: 10.1370/afm.2732..
Keywords: Practice Improvement, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Ye J, Zhang R, Bannon JE
Identifying practice facilitation delays and barriers in primary care quality improvement.
Practice facilitation is an effective approach to implementing quality improvement (QI) interventions in practice-based research networks (PBRNs). Regular facilitator-practice interactions are necessary for successful facilitation and missed engagements may hinder the process of practice improvement. This study employed a mixed-methods approach to characterize the dynamics of practice facilitation and examine facilitation delays and barriers, as well as their association with the achievement of QI program goals in a PBRN initiative.
AHRQ-funded; HS023921.
Citation: Ye J, Zhang R, Bannon JE .
Identifying practice facilitation delays and barriers in primary care quality improvement.
J Am Board Fam Med 2020 Sep-Oct;33(5):655-64. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2020.05.200058..
Keywords: Practice Improvement, Primary Care, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Quigley DD, Slaughter M, Qureshi N
Practices and changes associated with patient-centered medical home transformation.
Knowing which patient-centered medical home (PCMH) care delivery changes and quality improvement (QI) practices further PCMH implementation is essential. In this study, the investigators used the 2008-2017 National Committee of Quality Assurance (NCQA) PCMH directory of 15,188 primary care practices that received Level 1, 2, or 3 NCQA PCMH recognition to: 1.) construct a stratified national sample of 105 practices engaged in PCMH transformation and 2.) examine their QI practices and PCMH changes associated with PCMH transformation.
AHRQ-funded; HS016980; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Slaughter M, Qureshi N .
Practices and changes associated with patient-centered medical home transformation.
Am J Manag Care 2021 Sep;27(9):386-93. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2021.88740..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care, Practice Improvement, Healthcare Delivery, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Quigley DD, Qureshi N, AlMasarweh L
Using CAHPS patient experience data for patient-centered medical home transformation.
The purpose of this study was to examine how primary care practices used the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey and its patient-centered medical home (PCMH) items during their PCMH transition. The investigators concluded that CAHPS surveys were considered actionable for PCMH transformation and used in standardizing and coordinating care. The CAHPS PCMH items were considered integral to the continuous QI needed for moving beyond formal PCMH recognition and maximizing transformation.
AHRQ-funded; HS016980; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Qureshi N, AlMasarweh L .
Using CAHPS patient experience data for patient-centered medical home transformation.
Am J Manag Care 2021 Sep;27(9):e322-e29. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2021.88745..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Patient Experience, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care, Practice Improvement, Healthcare Delivery, Quality Improvement, 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
Fagnan LJ, Ramsey K, Kline T
Place matters: closing the gap on rural primary care quality improvement capacity-the Healthy Hearts Northwest study.
This study compared rural independent and health system primary care practices with urban practices to external practice facilitation support in terms of recruitment, readiness, engagement, retention, and change in quality improvement (QI) capacity and quality metric performing. The Healthy Hearts Northwest quality improvement initiative consisting of 135 small or medium-sized primary care practices were used. The practices were stratified by geography, rural or urban, and by ownership. Changes in 3 clinical quality measures (CQMs): appropriate aspirin use, blood pressure (BP) control, and tobacco use screening, were measured at baseline in 2015 and follow-up in 2017. Rural practices were more likely to enroll than urban practices. Rural independent practices had the lowest QI capacity at baseline, making the largest gain in establishing a regular QI process. They made the greatest improvement in meeting the BP control CQM and the smoking cessation metric, from 72.3% to 86.7%.
AHRQ-funded; HS023908; HS023921.
Citation: Fagnan LJ, Ramsey K, Kline T .
Place matters: closing the gap on rural primary care quality improvement capacity-the Healthy Hearts Northwest study.
J Am Board Fam Med 2021 Jul-Aug;34(4):753-61. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2021.04.210011..
Keywords: Rural Health, Primary Care, Primary Care: Models of Care, Practice Improvement, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
Walunas TL, Ye J, Bannon J
Does coaching matter? Examining the impact of specific practice facilitation strategies on implementation of quality improvement interventions in the Healthy Hearts in the Heartland study.
Practice facilitation is a multicomponent implementation strategy used to improve the capacity for practices to address care quality and implementation gaps. In this study, the investigators sought to assess whether practice facilitators use of coaching strategies aimed at improving self-sufficiency were associated with improved implementation of quality improvement (QI) interventions in the Healthy Hearts in the Heartland Study.
AHRQ-funded; HS023921.
Citation: Walunas TL, Ye J, Bannon J .
Does coaching matter? Examining the impact of specific practice facilitation strategies on implementation of quality improvement interventions in the Healthy Hearts in the Heartland study.
Implement Sci 2021 Mar 31;16(1):33. doi: 10.1186/s13012-021-01100-8..
Keywords: Practice Improvement, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Implementation, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
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
Varley AL, Kripalani S, Spain T
Understanding factors influencing quality improvement capacity among ambulatory care practices across the MidSouth region: an exploratory qualitative study.
Success in choosing and implementing quality metrics, necessary in a value-based care model, depends on quality improvement (QI) capacity-the shared knowledge, understanding, and commitment to continuous improvement. In this study, the investigators set out to explore factors influencing QI capacity among ambulatory care practices in the MidSouth Practice Transformation Network. Their findings provide insight into factors influencing the adoption and implementation of QI metrics across a diverse group of ambulatory care practices.
AHRQ-funded; HS013852.
Citation: Varley AL, Kripalani S, Spain T .
Understanding factors influencing quality improvement capacity among ambulatory care practices across the MidSouth region: an exploratory qualitative study.
Qual Manag Health Care 2020 Jul/Sep;29(3):136-41. doi: 10.1097/qmh.0000000000000255..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Practice Improvement
Sweeney SM, Hemler JR, Baron AN
Dedicated workforce required to support large-scale practice improvement.
Facilitation is an effective approach for helping practices implement sustainable evidence-based practice improvements. Few studies examine the facilitation infrastructure and support needed for large-scale dissemination and implementation initiatives. In this paper, the authors discuss a project by the Agency for Health care Research and Quality in which it funded 7 Cooperatives, each of which worked with over 200 primary care practices to rapidly disseminate and implement improvements in cardiovascular preventive care.
AHRQ-funded; HS023940.
Citation: Sweeney SM, Hemler JR, Baron AN .
Dedicated workforce required to support large-scale practice improvement.
J Am Board Fam Med 2020 Mar-Apr;33(2):230-39. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2020.02.190261..
Keywords: Practice Improvement, Primary Care, Cardiovascular Conditions, Healthcare Delivery, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Prevention, Implementation, Evidence-Based Practice
Ono SS, Crabtree BF, Hemler JR
Taking innovation to scale in primary care practices: the functions of health care extension.
Health care extension is an approach to providing external support to primary care practices with the aim of diffusing innovation. EvidenceNOW was launched to rapidly disseminate and implement evidence-based guidelines for cardiovascular preventive care in the primary care setting. This article describes how cooperatives varied in their approaches to extension and provides early empirical evidence that health care extension is a feasible and potentially useful approach for providing quality improvement.
AHRQ-funded; HS023940.
Citation: Ono SS, Crabtree BF, Hemler JR .
Taking innovation to scale in primary care practices: the functions of health care extension.
Health Aff 2018 Feb;37(2):222-30. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2017.1100.
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Keywords: Primary Care, Implementation, Cardiovascular Conditions, Evidence-Based Practice, Healthcare Delivery, Practice Improvement, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Prevention
Quigley DD, Predmore ZS, Chen AY
Implementation and sequencing of practice transformation in urban practices with underserved patients.
Researchers conducted interviews at 14 primary care practices undergoing patient-centered medical home (PCMH) transformation in a large urban federally qualified health center in California and used grounded theory to identify common themes and patterns. They concluded that full PCMH transformation took time and effort and relied on a sequential approach, with an early focus on foundational changes that included use of a robust quality improvement strategy.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Quigley DD, Predmore ZS, Chen AY .
Implementation and sequencing of practice transformation in urban practices with underserved patients.
Qual Manag Health Care 2017 Jan/Mar;26(1):7-14. doi: 10.1097/qmh.0000000000000118.
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Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Urban Health, Vulnerable Populations, Practice Improvement, Organizational Change, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Primary Care, Healthcare Delivery, Implementation, Teams
Friedberg MW, Rodriguez HP, Martsolf GR
Measuring workplace climate in community clinics and health centers.
The authors assessed the psychometric properties of a survey instrument combining items from several existing surveys of workplace climate and generated a shorter instrument for future use. They concluded that survey instruments designed to measure workplace climate have substantial overlap, and the set they identified might help target and tailor clinics' quality improvement efforts.
AHRQ-funded; HS020120.
Citation: Friedberg MW, Rodriguez HP, Martsolf GR .
Measuring workplace climate in community clinics and health centers.
Med Care 2016 Oct;54(10):944-9. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000585.
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Keywords: Community-Based Practice, Provider, Organizational Change, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Practice Improvement
Gray CP, Harrison MI, Hung D
AHRQ Author: Harrison MI
Medical assistants as flow managers in primary care: challenges and recommendations.
Drawing on an empirical study of a large, multispecialty delivery system engaged in reconfiguration of primary care, the authors found that using medical assistants (Mas) as flow managers required overcoming several challenges. These included entrenched social and occupational hierarchies between physicians and MAs, a lack of adequate training and mentorship, and difficulty attracting and retaining talented MAs.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 2902010000221.
Citation: Gray CP, Harrison MI, Hung D .
Medical assistants as flow managers in primary care: challenges and recommendations.
J Healthc Manag 2016 May-Jun;61(3):181-91.
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Keywords: Primary Care, Organizational Change, Practice Improvement, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Workflow, Provider
Solberg LI, Stuck LH, Crain AL
Organizational factors and change strategies associated with medical home transformation.
The researchers surveyed leaders of the first 132 primary care practices in Minnesota to achieve medical home certification. The Change Process Capability Questionnaire survey and the Physician Practice Connections survey showed that 80% to 100% of these certified clinics had 15 of the 18 organizational factors important for improving care processes and that 60% to 90% had successfully used 16 improvement strategies.
AHRQ-funded; HS019161.
Citation: Solberg LI, Stuck LH, Crain AL .
Organizational factors and change strategies associated with medical home transformation.
Am J Med Qual 2015 Jul-Aug;30(4):337-44. doi: 10.1177/1062860614532307.
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Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care, Practice Improvement, Organizational Change, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Healthcare Delivery