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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.
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1 to 5 of 5 Research Studies DisplayedJoshi RP, Pejaver V, Hammarlund NE
A predictive tool for identification of SARS-CoV-2 PCR-negative emergency department patients using routine test results.
This retrospective case-control study investigated whether the use of a prediction tool based on complete blood count results and patient sex can better allocate testing for SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing in hospital emergency departments. Participants were emergency department patients who had concurrent complete blood counts and SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing in Northern California, Seattle, Washington, Chicago Illinois, and South Korea. A hypothetical scenario of 1000 patients requiring testing was developed, but in this scenario testing resources are limited to 60% of patients. This tool would allow a 33% increase in properly allocated resources.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Joshi RP, Pejaver V, Hammarlund NE .
A predictive tool for identification of SARS-CoV-2 PCR-negative emergency department patients using routine test results.
J Clin Virol 2020 Aug;129:104502. doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2020.104502..
Keywords: Emergency Department, COVID-19, Pneumonia, Respiratory Conditions, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Clinical Decision Support (CDS)
Higgins TL, Deshpande A, Zilberberg MD
Assessment of the accuracy of using ICD-9 diagnosis codes to identify pneumonia etiology in patients hospitalized with pneumonia.
Researchers assessed the validity of ICD-9 organism-specific administrative codes for pneumonia using microbiological data as the criterion standard, using data from 178 US hospitals in the Premier Healthcare Database. They found that, in this study, ICD-9 codes did not reliably capture pneumonia etiology identified by laboratory testing; because of the high specificities of ICD-9 codes, however, administrative data may be useful in identifying risk factors for resistant organisms. The low sensitivities of the diagnosis codes may limit the validity of organism-specific pneumonia prevalence estimates derived from administrative data.
AHRQ-funded; HS024277, HS025026.
Citation: Higgins TL, Deshpande A, Zilberberg MD .
Assessment of the accuracy of using ICD-9 diagnosis codes to identify pneumonia etiology in patients hospitalized with pneumonia.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Jul;3(7):e207750. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.7750.
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Keywords: Pneumonia, Respiratory Conditions, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Brodsky MB, Suiter DM, Gonzalez-Fernandez M
Screening accuracy for aspiration using bedside water swallow tests: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
This study evaluated screening accuracy of bedside water swallow tests used to identify patients at risk for dysphagia-associated aspiration, finding that currently-used tests offer sufficient screening.
AHRQ-funded; HS022331.
Citation: Brodsky MB, Suiter DM, Gonzalez-Fernandez M .
Screening accuracy for aspiration using bedside water swallow tests: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Chest 2016 Jul;150(1):148-63. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2016.03.059.
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Keywords: Respiratory Conditions, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Pneumonia
Kelly MS, Smieja M, Luinstra K
Association of respiratory viruses with outcomes of severe childhood pneumonia in Botswana.
The authors examined whether detection of respiratory viruses predicts acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI) outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. They found that respiratory viruses were detected from most children hospitalized with ALRI in Botswana, but only respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus were more frequent than among children without ALRI. Further, detection of RSV from children with ALRI predicted a protracted illness course but lower mortality compared with non-RSV viruses.
AHRQ-funded; HS020939.
Citation: Kelly MS, Smieja M, Luinstra K .
Association of respiratory viruses with outcomes of severe childhood pneumonia in Botswana.
PLoS One 2015 May 14;10(5):e0126593. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126593.
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Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Pneumonia, Respiratory Conditions
Linder JA
Sore throat: avoid overcomplicating the uncomplicated.
In this editorial, the author described issues involving sore throat diagnosis and delineated various points concerning an article within the same journal issue, concluding that physicians should remember that the prevalence of group A streptococcus in adults with a sore throat is approximately 10%; and that they should use the Centor scoring criteria; selectively use rapid antigen-detection testing; limit antibiotic treatment to patients most likely to have group A streptococcus; and most of the time when prescribing antibiotics, use penicillin.
AHRQ-funded; HS018419.
Citation: Linder JA .
Sore throat: avoid overcomplicating the uncomplicated.
Ann Intern Med 2015 Feb 17;162(4):311-2. doi: 10.7326/m14-2899.
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Keywords: Antibiotics, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Infectious Diseases, Medication, Pneumonia, Respiratory Conditions, Practice Patterns