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
101 to 125 of 200 Research Studies DisplayedSchlesinger MJ, Rybowski L, Shaller D
Americans' growing exposure to clinician quality information: insights and implications.
The authors of this article examined the impact of changes in the growth of consumer information seeking and the availability of patient narratives about care on consumer awareness of quality information and sociodemographic differences. Public exposure to quality information of any type doubled between 2010 and 2015, ad exposure to patient narratives and experience surveys tripled. Minority consumers were better informed than whites consistently over this period, although there were differences across subgroups regarding the types of information encountered. An education-related gradient in quality awareness also emerged. The authors conclude that public policy should respond to these emerging trends in information exposure by establishing standards for rigorous elicitation of narratives and assisting consumer learning via a combination of narratives and quantified clinician quality metrics.
AHRQ-funded; HS016978; HS016980; HS021858.
Citation: Schlesinger MJ, Rybowski L, Shaller D .
Americans' growing exposure to clinician quality information: insights and implications.
Health Aff 2019 Mar;38(3):374-82. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05006..
Keywords: Policy, Provider Performance, Public Reporting, Quality of Care, Quality Measures
Sheehan FH, McConnaughey S, Freeman R
Formative assessment of performance in diagnostic ultrasound using simulation and quantitative and objective metrics.
The authors of this article describe how they developed simulator-based tools for assessing provider competence in transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and vascular duplex scanning. Psychomotor skill in TTE image acquisition was calculated using the deviation angle of an acquired image from the anatomically correct view, and this skill metric applied for formative assessment to evaluate curricula and provide feedback to learners. Psychomotor skill in vascular ultrasound was measured in terms of dexterity and image plane location. The skill metric in the TTE simulator enabled immediate feedback, as well as formative assessment of curriculum efficacy and a comparison of curriculum outcomes. The vascular duplex ultrasound simulator also provided feedback. The authors conclude that skill in acquiring diagnostic ultrasound images of organs and vessels can be measured using simulation in an objective, quantitative, and standardized manner. Simulator-based metrics might also be applied to summative assessment.
AHRQ-funded; HS024219.
Citation: Sheehan FH, McConnaughey S, Freeman R .
Formative assessment of performance in diagnostic ultrasound using simulation and quantitative and objective metrics.
Mil Med 2019 Mar 1;184(Supplement_1):386-91. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usy388.
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Keywords: Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Education: Continuing Medical Education, Imaging, Provider Performance, Training
Cerully JL, Parker AM, Rybowski L
Improving patients' choice of clinician by including roll-up measures in public healthcare quality reports: an online experiment.
The purpose of this paper was to determine how presenting quality scores at different levels of aggregation affects patients' clinician choices. A simulated clinician-choice experiment with 550 panelists was employed. The results suggested that roll-ups in healthcare quality reports, alone or as a complement to drill-downs, can help patients make better decisions.
AHRQ-funded; HS016978.
Citation: Cerully JL, Parker AM, Rybowski L .
Improving patients' choice of clinician by including roll-up measures in public healthcare quality reports: an online experiment.
J Gen Intern Med 2019 Feb;34(2):243-49. doi: 10.1007/s11606-018-4725-y..
Keywords: Shared Decision Making, Quality of Care, Provider Performance
Chukmaitov A, Harless DW, Bazzoli GJ
Preventable hospital admissions and 30-day all-cause readmissions: does hospital participation in accountable care organizations improve quality of care?
This study evaluates quality performance of hospitals participating in Medicare Shared Savings and Pioneer Accountable Care Organization (ACO) programs relative to nonparticipating hospitals. The authors studied preventable hospitalizations for conditions sensitive to high-quality ambulatory care and 30-day all-cause readmissions potentially influenced by hospital care. A decrease was found in preventable hospitalizations for COPD and asthma and for diabetes complications for ACO participating hospitals, but no significant differences for preventable chronic heart failure hospitalizations and 30-day readmissions.
AHRQ-funded; HS023332.
Citation: Chukmaitov A, Harless DW, Bazzoli GJ .
Preventable hospital admissions and 30-day all-cause readmissions: does hospital participation in accountable care organizations improve quality of care?
Am J Med Qual 2019 Jan/Feb;34(1):14-22. doi: 10.1177/1062860618778786..
Keywords: Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals, Quality of Care, Provider Performance, Hospitalization
Zuckerman RB, Wu S, Chen LM
The five-star skilled nursing facility rating system and care of disadvantaged populations.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Zuckerman RB, Wu S, Chen LM .
The five-star skilled nursing facility rating system and care of disadvantaged populations.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2019 Jan;67(1):108-14. doi: 10.1111/jgs.15629..
Keywords: Nursing Homes, Vulnerable Populations, Medicare, Elderly, Provider Performance, Quality of Care, Hospital Discharge, Disparities
Dowding D, Merrill J, Russell D
Using feedback intervention theory to guide clinical dashboard design.
The provision of feedback to clinicians and organizations on the quality of care they provide is thought to influence clinician and organizational behavior leading to care improvements. Clinical Dashboards use data visualization techniques to provide feedback to individuals on their performance compared to quality metrics. In this paper the authors outline a theoretical approach to the design of a clinical dashboard; Feedback Intervention Theory (FIT).
AHRQ-funded; HS023855.
Citation: Dowding D, Merrill J, Russell D .
Using feedback intervention theory to guide clinical dashboard design.
AMIA Annu Symp Proc 2018 Dec 5;2018:395-403..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Provider Performance, Quality of Care, Quality Improvement
Meddings J, Smith SN, Hofer TP
Mixed messages to consumers from Medicare: Hospital Compare grades versus value-based payment penalty.
This study examined the discrepancy of ratings with hospitals with low readmission grades for heart failure (HF) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on the Hospital Compare website, yet received penalties for excessive readmissions under the hospital Readmissions Reduction Program. A retrospective data analysis was conducted of 2956 hospitals that had publicly reported HF grades on Hospital Compare. Of those, 92% were graded as “no different” than the national rate for HD readmissions, yet included 48.6% that were scored as having excessive HF admissions and 87% received an overall readmission penalty. Of the 120 hospitals graded as “better”, none were scored as having excessive HF readmissions and 50% were penalized. There were similar results for AMI.
AHRQ-funded; HS018334; HS019767.
Citation: Meddings J, Smith SN, Hofer TP .
Mixed messages to consumers from Medicare: Hospital Compare grades versus value-based payment penalty.
Am J Manag Care 2018 Dec;24(12):e399-e403..
Keywords: Medicare, Hospital Readmissions, Heart Disease and Health, Hospitals, Quality of Care, Cardiovascular Conditions, Provider Performance, Payment
Spatz ES
Fostering a culture to support surgical outcome measures.
This editorial comments on the relationship of surgical skills (referring to the gentleness, tissue exposure, instrument handling, time and motion, and flow of operation) and patient outcomes
AHRQ-funded; HS023000.
Citation: Spatz ES .
Fostering a culture to support surgical outcome measures.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2016 Jul;9(4):345-7. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.116.003038.
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Keywords: Outcomes, Provider Performance, Quality Measures, Surgery
Huckfeldt P, Escarce J, Wilcock A
HF mortality trends under Medicare readmissions reduction program at penalized and nonpenalized hospitals.
After announcement and implementation of the Medicare Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), 30-day readmissions declined rapidly among seniors with heart failure (HF) while 30-day mortality rose. This raised questions about whether the policy was responsible, because lower HF readmission rates have historically been associated with higher mortality. In this study, the investigators compared trends in heart failure (HF) mortality at penalized and nonpenalized hospitals nationally.
AHRQ-funded; HS024284.
Citation: Huckfeldt P, Escarce J, Wilcock A .
HF mortality trends under Medicare readmissions reduction program at penalized and nonpenalized hospitals.
J Am Coll Cardiol 2018 Nov 13;72(20):2539-40. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.08.2174..
Keywords: Mortality, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Hospital Readmissions, Medicare, Hospitals, Provider Performance, Payment
Rolnick JA, Ryskina KL
The use of individual provider performance reports by US Hospitals.
In this study, the investigators examined overall trends in how hospitals use the electronic health record to track and provide feedback on provider performance. They used data from 2013 to 2015 from the American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey Information Technology Supplement, which asked hospitals if they have used electronic data to create performance profiles. They linked these data to AHA Annual Survey responses for all general adult and pediatric hospitals and used Multivariable logistic regression to model the odds of use as a function of hospital characteristics.
AHRQ-funded; HS022198.
Citation: Rolnick JA, Ryskina KL .
The use of individual provider performance reports by US Hospitals.
J Hosp Med 2018 Aug;13(8):562-65. doi: 10.12788/jhm.2922..
Keywords: Provider Performance, Quality of Care, Provider, Hospitals, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Kaiser SV, Lam R, Joseph GB
Limitations of using pediatric respiratory illness readmissions to compare hospital performance.
Researcher sought to determine if a National Quality Forum (NQF)-endorsed measure for pediatric lower respiratory illness (LRI) 30-day readmission rates can meaningfully identify high- and low-performing hospitals. Subjects were children with LRI (bronchiolitis, influenza, or pneumonia as primary diagnosis, or with an LRI as a secondary diagnosis with a primary diagnosis of respiratory failure, sepsis, bacteremia, or asthma) from all hospital admissions in California from 2012 to 2014. The researchers were unable to identify meaningful variation in hospital performance without broadening the metric definition and merging multiple years of data. They recommend that utilizers of pediatric-quality measures consider modifying metrics to better evaluate the quality of pediatric care at low-volume hospitals.
AHRQ-funded; HS024385; HS022835; HS024592; HS025297.
Citation: Kaiser SV, Lam R, Joseph GB .
Limitations of using pediatric respiratory illness readmissions to compare hospital performance.
J Hosp Med 2018 Nov;13(11):737-42. doi: 10.12788/jhm.2988..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Respiratory Conditions, Provider Performance, Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality Measures, Quality of Care, Quality Improvement
Khoong EC, Cherian R, Rivadeneira NA
Accurate measurement In California's safety-net health systems has gaps and barriers.
The purpose of this study was to measure California’s pay-for-performance program in safety-net hospitals. Results showed both suboptimal performance in aspects of ambulatory safety and questionable reliability in data reporting. Health care systems that lack seamlessly integrated electronic health records and patient registries encountered barriers to reporting reliable ambulatory safety data, precluding accurate performance measurement in many areas. The authors recommended that policymakers and safety advocates support the development of information systems and measures that facilitate the accurate ascertainment of the health systems, patients, and clinical tasks at greatest risk for ambulatory safety failures.
AHRQ-funded; HS024412; HS024426.
Citation: Khoong EC, Cherian R, Rivadeneira NA .
Accurate measurement In California's safety-net health systems has gaps and barriers.
Health Aff 2018 Nov;37(11):1760-69. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.0709..
Keywords: Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Patient Safety, Provider Performance, Quality Indicators (QIs), Payment
Brauner D, Werner RM, Shippee TP
Does Nursing Home Compare reflect patient safety in nursing homes?
In this study the investigators compared nursing homes' performance on several composite quality measures from Nursing Home Compare, the most prominent recent example of a national policy aimed at improving the quality of nursing home care, to their performance on measures of patient safety in nursing homes such as pressure sores, infections, falls, and medication errors.
AHRQ-funded; HS024967.
Citation: Brauner D, Werner RM, Shippee TP .
Does Nursing Home Compare reflect patient safety in nursing homes?
Health Aff 2018 Nov;37(11):1770-78. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.0721.
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Keywords: Quality of Care, Nursing Homes, Patient Safety, Provider Performance, Quality Measures
Fraze TK, Lewis VA, Tierney E
Quality of care improves for patients with diabetes in Medicare shared savings accountable care organizations: organizational characteristics associated with performance.
This study analyzed secondary data retrospectively to examine Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) Accountable Care Organizations’ performance on diabetes metrics in the first 2 years of ACO contracts in order to determine how ACO organizational characteristics - such as composition, staffing, care management, and experiences with health reform - were associated with quality of care delivered to patients with diabetes.
AHRQ-funded; HS024075.
Citation: Fraze TK, Lewis VA, Tierney E .
Quality of care improves for patients with diabetes in Medicare shared savings accountable care organizations: organizational characteristics associated with performance.
Popul Health Manag 2018 Oct;21(5):401-08. doi: 10.1089/pop.2017.0102..
Keywords: Diabetes, Quality of Care, Medicare, Provider Performance, Quality Improvement
Yokoe DS, Avery TR, Platt R
Ranking hospitals based on colon surgery and abdominal hysterectomy surgical site infection outcomes: impact of limiting surveillance to the operative hospital.
This study examined how hospitals are ranked based on colon surgery and abdominal surgical site infection (SSI) outcomes. This ranking can impact how financial penalties are determined. Currently SSI surveillance focuses mainly on the operative hospital, but patients sometimes go to a different hospital after an SSI as opposed to readmission in the operative hospital. The authors used data from a California statewide hospital registry to assess for evidence of SSI for surgeries performed from March 2011 through November 2013. This analysis showed show that operational hospital surveillance alone would have missed 7.2% of colon surgery and 13.4% of abdominal hysterectomy SSIs. This leads to an inaccurate assignment or avoidance of financial penalties for approximately 1 in 11-16 hospitals.
AHRQ-funded; HS021424.
Citation: Yokoe DS, Avery TR, Platt R .
Ranking hospitals based on colon surgery and abdominal hysterectomy surgical site infection outcomes: impact of limiting surveillance to the operative hospital.
Clin Infect Dis 2018 Sep 14;67(7):1096-102. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciy223..
Keywords: Surgery, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Infectious Diseases, Injuries and Wounds, Adverse Events, Hospitals, Payment, Patient Safety, Provider Performance
Cofer KD, Hollis RH, Goss L
Burnout is associated with emotional intelligence but not traditional job performance measurements in surgical residents.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether burnout was associated with emotional intelligence and job performance in surgical residents. The investigators found that burnout was present in surgery residents and was associated with emotional intelligence. There was no association of burnout with United States Medical Licensing Examination scores, American Board of Surgery In-Training Exam percentile, or surgical milestones. The investigators suggested that traditional methods of assessing resident performance may not be capturing burnout and strategies to reduce burnout should consider targeting emotional intelligence.
AHRQ-funded; HS023009.
Citation: Cofer KD, Hollis RH, Goss L .
Burnout is associated with emotional intelligence but not traditional job performance measurements in surgical residents.
J Surg Educ 2018 Sep - Oct;75(5):1171-79. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2018.01.021..
Keywords: Burnout, Education: Continuing Medical Education, Provider, Provider: Physician, Provider Performance
Quinn CM, Bilimoria KY, Chung JW
Creating individual surgeon performance assessments in a statewide hospital surgical quality improvement collaborative.
In this study, the investigators sought to create surgeon-level comparative assessments within the Illinois Surgical Quality Improvement Collaborative. The investigators found that few individual surgeon performance outliers could be detected in NSQIP clinical registry data for a statewide hospital collaborative over a 30-month period using postoperative patient outcomes. The authors suggest that low surgeon-specific case volumes and minimal variance between surgeons may limit the utility of American College of Surgeons NSQIP outcomes measures for individual profiling.
AHRQ-funded; HS024516.
Citation: Quinn CM, Bilimoria KY, Chung JW .
Creating individual surgeon performance assessments in a statewide hospital surgical quality improvement collaborative.
J Am Coll Surg 2018 Sep;227(3):303-12.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2018.06.002..
Keywords: Quality of Care, Provider Performance, Quality Improvement, Surgery
Moreno A, Schwamm LH, Siddiqui KA
Frequent hub-spoke contact is associated with improved spoke hospital performance: results from the Massachusetts General Hospital Telestroke Network.
This study investigated the association of a strong hub-spoke hospital connection with improved spoke hospital performance for acute ischemic stroke patients associated with the Massachusetts General Hospital Telestroke Network. Investigators identified 375 patients treated with tPA by conventional or telestroke methods from 2006-2015 with 16 spoke hospitals. There was a positive association between more frequent contact between a telestroke spoke and its hub and faster tPA delivery for patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS024561.
Citation: Moreno A, Schwamm LH, Siddiqui KA .
Frequent hub-spoke contact is associated with improved spoke hospital performance: results from the Massachusetts General Hospital Telestroke Network.
Telemed J E Health 2018 Sep;24(9):678-83. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2017.0252..
Keywords: Health Information Technology (HIT), Hospitals, Provider Performance, Quality of Care, Stroke, Telehealth
Sen AP, Chen LM, Wong Samson L
Performance in the Medicare Shared Savings Program by accountable care organizations disproportionately serving dual and disabled populations.
The purpose of this study was to examine performance by accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the top quintile of their proportion of beneficiaries who were dually enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid (high-dual), and the top quintile of disabled beneficiaries (high-disabled). Measures used were quality scores, savings per beneficiary, whether or not the ACO shared savings and the amount of shared savings. The researchers found that high-dual and high-disabled ACOs had similar or higher spending than other ACOs at baseline, but achieved greater savings and were equally or more likely to earn shared savings; alternative payment models can have positive financial outcomes for providers serving vulnerable populations.
AHRQ-funded; HS024698.
Citation: Sen AP, Chen LM, Wong Samson L .
Performance in the Medicare Shared Savings Program by accountable care organizations disproportionately serving dual and disabled populations.
Med Care 2018 Sep;56(9):805-11. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000968..
Keywords: Disabilities, Medicare, Healthcare Costs, Provider Performance, Payment, Low-Income, Vulnerable Populations
Hays RD, Mallett JS, Haas A
Associations of CAHPS composites with global ratings of the doctor vary by Medicare beneficiaries' health status.
This study examines whether the association of care coordination with global ratings of one's personal doctor varies by number of chronic conditions and self-rated health. Results were consistent with the hypothesis that patients in worse health weigh care coordination more heavily in global physician assessments than patients in better health. Emphasis on improving care coordination, especially for patients in poorer health, may improve patients' overall assessments of their providers.
AHRQ-funded; HS016980; HS025920.
Citation: Hays RD, Mallett JS, Haas A .
Associations of CAHPS composites with global ratings of the doctor vary by Medicare beneficiaries' health status.
Med Care 2018 Aug;56(8):736-39. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000942..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Quality of Care, Health Status, Medicare, Provider Performance
Markovitz AA, Ramsay PP, Shortell SM
Financial incentives and physician practice participation in Medicare's value-based reforms.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether greater experience and success with performance incentives among physician practices are related to increased participation in Medicare's voluntary value-based payment reforms. The authors concluded that Medicare must complement financial incentives with additional efforts to address the needs of practices with less experience with such incentives to promote value-based payment on a broader scale.
AHRQ-funded; HS018546.
Citation: Markovitz AA, Ramsay PP, Shortell SM .
Financial incentives and physician practice participation in Medicare's value-based reforms.
Health Serv Res 2018 Aug;53 Suppl 1:3052-69. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12743..
Keywords: Payment, Medicare, Provider Performance
Dowding D, Merrill JA
The development of heuristics for evaluation of dashboard visualizations.
Heuristic evaluation is used in human-computer interaction studies to assess the usability of information systems. This article develops a heuristic evaluation checklist that can be used to evaluate systems that produce information visualizations. The authors suggest that a checklist of usability heuristics for evaluating information visualization systems can contribute to assuring high quality in electronic data systems developed for health care.
AHRQ-funded; HS023855.
Citation: Dowding D, Merrill JA .
The development of heuristics for evaluation of dashboard visualizations.
Appl Clin Inform 2018 Jul;9(3):511-18. doi: 10.1055/s-0038-1666842..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Provider Performance, Quality of Care, Quality Improvement
Alexander GL, Madsen R
A national report of nursing home quality and information technology: two-year trends.
The authors sought to answer these two research questions: What are the trends in information technology (IT) adoption in US nursing home facilities over 2 years? How are 2-year trends in IT adoption in US nursing homes related to nationally reported quality measures (QMs)? Using surveys of nursing home administrators and data from Nursing Home Compare, they concluded that multiple dimensions of IT sophistication influence QMs in every health care domain, providing an opportunity to design a reporting system that joins these important variables to be assessed on a national scale.
AHRQ-funded; HS022497.
Citation: Alexander GL, Madsen R .
A national report of nursing home quality and information technology: two-year trends.
J Nurs Care Qual 2018 Jul/Sep;33(3):200-07. doi: 10.1097/ncq.0000000000000328.
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Keywords: Health Information Technology (HIT), Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Quality of Care, Quality Measures, Provider Performance
Le Parc JM, Bischof JJ, King AM JM, Bischof JJ, King AM
A randomized comparison of in-hospital rescuer positions for endotracheal intubation in a difficult airway.
The objective of the study was to compare in-hospital emergency medicine (EM) trainees' performance on endotracheal intubation (ETI) delivered from both the seated and standing positions. The study concluded that the position of the in-hospital provider, whether seated or standing, had no effect on the provider's ETI performance. Since environmental circumstances sometimes necessitate alternative positioning for effective ETI administration, the findings suggest that there may be value in training residents to perform ETI from both positions.
AHRQ-funded; HS021456.
Citation: Le Parc JM, Bischof JJ, King AM JM, Bischof JJ, King AM .
A randomized comparison of in-hospital rescuer positions for endotracheal intubation in a difficult airway.
West J Emerg Med 2018 Jul;19(4):660-67. doi: 10.5811/westjem.2018.4.37227..
Keywords: Education: Continuing Medical Education, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Patient Safety, Provider Performance
Wey A, Salkowski N, Kasiske BL
A five-tier system for improving the categorization of transplant program performance.
The purpose of this study was to better inform health care consumers by identifying the differences in transplant program performance. Researchers compared the differentiation of program performance and a simulated misclassification rate of the five-tier system with the previous three-tier system based on the 95 percent credible interval, using data on adult kidney transplants collected from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database. The study finds that the five-tier system improved differentiation and maintained a lower misclassification rate than programs differing by two tiers, and concludes that the five-tier system can improve the informing of health care consumers about transplant program performance.
AHRQ-funded; HS024527.
Citation: Wey A, Salkowski N, Kasiske BL .
A five-tier system for improving the categorization of transplant program performance.
Health Serv Res 2018 Jun;53(3):1979-91. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12726..
Keywords: Transplantation, Provider Performance, Quality of Care, Registries