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 85 Research Studies DisplayedKrefman AE, Ciolino Jd, Kan AK
Rationale and design for Healthy Hearts for Michigan (HH4M): a pragmatic single-arm hybrid effectiveness-implementation study.
The objective of the Healthy Hearts for Michigan (HH4M) study is to promote hypertension management and smoking cessation through practice facilitation and quality improvement efforts. This three-year research program evaluates rural and medically underserved primary care practices’ ability to implement the quality improvement model and tests whether the model improves blood pressure control and tobacco use screening and cessation. Primary care practices in rural and underserved areas of Michigan were recruited to join HH4M. HH4M is part of the multi-state EvidenceNOW: Building State Capacity initiative to provide external support to primary care practices to improve care delivery.
AHRQ-funded; HS027954.
Citation: Krefman AE, Ciolino Jd, Kan AK .
Rationale and design for Healthy Hearts for Michigan (HH4M): a pragmatic single-arm hybrid effectiveness-implementation study.
Contemp Clin Trials Commun 2023 Oct; 35:101199. doi: 10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101199..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Primary Care
Brown-Johnson C, Calma J, Amano A
Evaluating the implementation of patient-reported outcomes in heart failure clinic: a qualitative assessment.
This study evaluated clinician perceptions of the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire-12 (KCCQ-12), a patient reported outcome (PRO) survey that captures symptom frequency, symptom burden, physical limitations, social limitations, and quality of life. The authors conducted interviews with cardiologists from 4 institutions across the United States and Canada (n=16) and observed clinic visits at 1 institution in Northern California (n=5). They conducted 2 rounds of interviews and did a qualitative analysis on (1) rapid analysis constructed around major themes related to the aims of the study and (2) content analysis with codes derived from the rapid analysis and implementation science. Most cardiologists reported the KCCQ-12 was acceptable, appropriate, and useful in clinical care. The survey was found to improve the consistency of patient history taking, focus patient-clinician conversations, collect a more accurate account of patient quality of life, track trends in patient well-being over time, and refine clinical decision-making.
AHRQ-funded; HS026128.
Citation: Brown-Johnson C, Calma J, Amano A .
Evaluating the implementation of patient-reported outcomes in heart failure clinic: a qualitative assessment.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2023 May; 16(5):e009677. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009677..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
Schroeder MC, Chapman CG, Chrischilles EA
Generating practice-based evidence in the use of guideline-recommended combination therapy for secondary prevention of acute myocardial infarction.
This study’s goal was to determine if variation in real-world practice of guideline-recommended combination therapy for secondary prevention of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) reflects poor quality-of-care or a balance of outcome tradeoffs among patients. Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries hospitalized 2007-2008 for AMI were included. Treatment within 30-days post-discharge was grouped into one of eight possible combinations for the three drug classes: beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin-receptor blockers, and statins. Outcomes looked at included one-year overall survival, one-year cardiovascular-event-free survival, and 90-day adverse events. Results were found that each drug combination was observed in the final sample (N = 124,695), with 35.7% having all three, and 13.5% having none. There were both treatment benefits and harms in patients with AMIs with higher rates of guideline-recommended treatment.
AHRQ-funded; HS018381.
Citation: Schroeder MC, Chapman CG, Chrischilles EA .
Generating practice-based evidence in the use of guideline-recommended combination therapy for secondary prevention of acute myocardial infarction.
Pharmacy 2022 Nov 3;10(6). doi: 10.3390/pharmacy10060147..
Keywords: Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Comparative Effectiveness, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Prevention
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
Ahmad FS, Jackson KL, Yount SE
The development and initial validation of the PROMIS®+HF-27 and PROMIS+HF-10 profiles.
This paper describes the continued refinement of the PROMIS®-Plus-HF (PROMIS+HF) profile measure, including universal and HF-specific items, to develop shorter PROMIS+HF profiles intended for research and clinical use. The authors developed the PROMIS+HF-27 and PROMIS+HF-10 profiles with summary scores (0-100) for overall, physical, mental, and social health. In a cross-sectional sample (n = 600), they measured internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha and Spearman-Brown), test-retest reliability (intraclass coefficient; n = 100), known-groups validity via New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, and convergent validity with Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) scores. They also evaluated responsiveness of baseline/follow-up scores in a longitudinal sample of 75 by calculating mean differences and Cohen’s d and comparing with paired t-tests. PROMIS+HF-27 scores showed good to excellent internal consistency and acceptable to good for PROMIS+HF-10 scores. Good psychometric characteristics were shown for both measures with evidence of responsiveness for overall and physical health.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Ahmad FS, Jackson KL, Yount SE .
The development and initial validation of the PROMIS®+HF-27 and PROMIS+HF-10 profiles.
ESC Heart Fail 2022 Jul 15;9(5):3380-92. doi: 10.1002/ehf2.14061..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Quality of Life, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
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
Amin AP, Rao SV, Seto AH
Transradial access for high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention: implications of the risk-treatment paradox.
The study’s objective was to examine whether the association between transradial percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI; TRI) use versus transfemoral PCI (TFI) and in-hospital outcomes is influenced by baseline risk. TRI was found to reduce adverse outcomes when compared with TFI. The authors analyzed 28,005 PCIs performed in a 7-hospital system between July 2009 and April 2018. TRI use increased over time. However a risk-treatment paradox for TRI use was observed not only for bleeding risk, but for acute kidney injury (AKI) and death. The absolute risk difference between TRI and TFI increased with increasing baseline risk.
AHRQ-funded; HS022481.
Citation: Amin AP, Rao SV, Seto AH .
Transradial access for high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention: implications of the risk-treatment paradox.
Circ Cardiovasc Interv 2021 Jul;14(7):e009328. doi: 10.1161/circinterventions.120.009328..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Adverse Events, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
McKinney WT, Schaffhausen CR, Schladt D
Designing a patient-specific search of transplant program performance and outcomes: feedback from heart transplant candidates and recipients.
The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients provides transplant program-specific information, but it is unclear what patients and stakeholders need to know. Acceptance criteria for the candidate waitlist and donor organs vary by program and region, but there is no means to search for programs by the clinical profiles of recipients and donors. The authors examined variability in program-specific characteristics that could influence access to transplantation.
AHRQ-funded; HS026379; HS024527.
Citation: McKinney WT, Schaffhausen CR, Schladt D .
Designing a patient-specific search of transplant program performance and outcomes: feedback from heart transplant candidates and recipients.
Clin Transplant 2021 Feb;35(2):e14183. doi: 10.1111/ctr.14183..
Keywords: Transplantation, Surgery, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Registries, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice, Shared Decision Making
Thompson MP, Yaser JM, Hou H
Determinants of hospital variation in cardiac rehabilitation enrollment during coronary artery disease episodes of care.
Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is associated with improved outcomes for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, CR enrollment remains low and there is a dearth of real-world data on hospital-level variation in CR enrollment. In this study, the investigators sought to explore determinants of hospital variability in CR enrollment during CAD episodes of care: medical management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI-MM), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Thompson MP, Yaser JM, Hou H .
Determinants of hospital variation in cardiac rehabilitation enrollment during coronary artery disease episodes of care.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2021 Feb;14(2):e007144. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.120.007144..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Rehabilitation, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Hospitals
Zullo AR, Riester MR, Erqou S
Comparative effectiveness of angiotensin II receptor blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in older nursing home residents after myocardial infarction: a retrospective cohort study.
Evidence regarding differences in outcomes between angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) among older nursing home (NH) residents after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is limited. The purpose of this study was to estimate the post-AMI effects of ARBs versus ACEIs on mortality, rehospitalization, and functional decline outcomes in this important population.
AHRQ-funded; HS022998.
Citation: Zullo AR, Riester MR, Erqou S .
Comparative effectiveness of angiotensin II receptor blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in older nursing home residents after myocardial infarction: a retrospective cohort study.
Drugs Aging 2020 Oct;37(10):755-66. doi: 10.1007/s40266-020-00791-w..
Keywords: Elderly, Nursing Homes, Heart Disease and Health, Medication, Evidence-Based Practice, Comparative Effectiveness, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes
Ahmad FS, Ricket IM, Hammill BG BG
Computable phenotype implementation for a national, multicenter pragmatic clinical trial: lessons learned from ADAPTABLE.
This methods paper provides an overview of the development and implementation of a computable phenotype in ADAPTABLE (Aspirin Dosing: a Patient-Centric Trial Assessing Benefits and Long-Term Effectiveness)--a pragmatic, randomized, open-label clinical trial testing the optimal dose of aspirin for secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events. Lessons learned included the following: the accuracy and utility of a computable phenotype are dependent on the quality of the source data; local validation and modification were required based on site factors; and sustained collaboration among a diverse team of researchers is needed during development and implementation. The ADAPTABLE computable phenotype served as an efficient method to recruit patients in a multisite pragmatic clinical trial.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Ahmad FS, Ricket IM, Hammill BG BG .
Computable phenotype implementation for a national, multicenter pragmatic clinical trial: lessons learned from ADAPTABLE.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2020 Jun;13(6):e006292. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.119.006292..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Research Methodologies, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
Nguyen AM, Cuthel A, Padgett DK
How practice facilitation strategies differ by practice context.
The purpose of this study was to identify contextual factors that drive facilitators' strategies to meet practice improvement goals, and how these strategies are tailored to practice context. This study was conducted as part of a larger study, HealthyHearts New York City, which evaluated the impact of practice facilitation on adoption of cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment guidelines.
AHRQ-funded; HS023922.
Citation: Nguyen AM, Cuthel A, Padgett DK .
How practice facilitation strategies differ by practice context.
J Gen Intern Med 2020 Mar;35(3):824-31. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05350-7..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Evidence-Based Practice, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Primary Care, Quality of Care, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Primary Care: Models of Care
Dhruva SS, Ross JS, Mortazavi BJ
Association of use of an intravascular microaxial left ventricular assist device vs intra-aortic balloon pump with in-hospital mortality and major bleeding among patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.
This study examines outcomes among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock. Two interventions are compared: intravascular microaxial left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) versus intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABPs). The American College of Cardiology’s National Cardiovascular Data Registry was used to identify patients with AMI complicated by cardiogenic shock from hospitals participating in the CathPCI and Chest Pain-MI registries and identified 28,304 patients. Over the study period (2015 to 2017), LVAD was used in 6.2% of patients and IABP in 29.9%. LVAD was shown to have higher rates of in-hospital death and major bleeding complications compared to IABP.
AHRQ-funded; HS022882; HS025402; HS025517; HS026379.
Citation: Dhruva SS, Ross JS, Mortazavi BJ .
Association of use of an intravascular microaxial left ventricular assist device vs intra-aortic balloon pump with in-hospital mortality and major bleeding among patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.
JAMA 2020 Feb 25;323(8):734-45. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.0254..
Keywords: Medical Devices, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Mortality, Adverse Events, Registries, Patient Safety, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice
Kelly JP, DeVore AD, Wu J
Rhythm control versus rate control in patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: insights from get with the guidelines-heart failure.
Researchers analyzed the Get With The Guidelines - Heart Failure (GWTG-HF) registry linked to Medicare claims data to describe current treatments for rate versus rhythm control and subsequent outcomes in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and atrial fibrillation. They found that rhythm control in patients aged 65 and older with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and AF was associated with a lower risk of one-year all-cause mortality. They recommended future prospective randomized studies to explore this potential benefit.
AHRQ-funded; HS021092.
Citation: Kelly JP, DeVore AD, Wu J .
Rhythm control versus rate control in patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: insights from get with the guidelines-heart failure.
J Am Heart Assoc 2019 Dec 17;8(24):e011560. doi: 10.1161/jaha.118.011560.
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Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice, Registries, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Goldstone AB, Chiu P, Baiocchi M
Interfacility transfer of Medicare beneficiaries with acute type a aortic dissection and regionalization of care in the United States.
Researchers investigated the hypothesis that regionalizing care at high-volume hospitals for acute type A aortic dissections will lower mortality. Operative mortality and long-term survival were compared for Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with an acute type A aortic dissection who were transferred versus not transferred, underwent surgery at high-volume versus low-volume hospitals, and were rerouted versus not rerouted to a high-volume hospital for treatment. The researchers found that, despite delaying surgery, a regionalization policy that transfers patients to high-volume hospitals was associated with a 7.2% absolute risk reduction in operative mortality. They recommended that policymakers evaluate the feasibility and benefits of regionalizing the surgical treatment of acute type A aortic dissection in the United States.
AHRQ-funded; HS022192.
Citation: Goldstone AB, Chiu P, Baiocchi M .
Interfacility transfer of Medicare beneficiaries with acute type a aortic dissection and regionalization of care in the United States.
Circulation 2019 Oct 8;140(15):1239-50. doi: 10.1161/circulationaha.118.038867..
Keywords: Transitions of Care, Medicare, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Risk, Evidence-Based Practice, Mortality, Hospitals
Sterling MR, Echeverria SE, Commodore-Mensah Y
Health equity and implementation science in heart, lung, blood, and sleep-related research: emerging themes from the 2018 Saunders-Watkins Leadership Workshop.
This article discusses the key themes from a 2-day workshop that was held at the National Institutes of Health in May 2018 to promote health equity and implementation science in heart, lung, and sleep-related research. This inaugural workshop was named the Saunders-Watkins Leadership Workshop. Recommendations are offered for the future direction of this research.
AHRQ-funded; HS000066.
Citation: Sterling MR, Echeverria SE, Commodore-Mensah Y .
Health equity and implementation science in heart, lung, blood, and sleep-related research: emerging themes from the 2018 Saunders-Watkins Leadership Workshop.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2019 Oct;12(10):e005586. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.119.005586..
Keywords: Implementation, Evidence-Based Practice, Disparities, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Respiratory Conditions, Sleep Problems
Bath J, Smith JB, Kruse RL
Association of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio with outcomes after elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.
This study investigated postoperative outcomes from elective abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery (AAA) repair using neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as the predictor. Inpatients from the Cerner Health Facts database undergoing elective AAA repair from 2008 to 2015 were selected using ICD-9 procedure codes. Patients with a high postoperative NLR experienced longer hospital stays; higher rates of in-hospital death; high rates of renal failure, cardiac problems, respiratory problems, and infection compared to patients with a low postoperative NLR. The authors recommend future study of NLR to help provide clinically important risk profiles.
AHRQ-funded; HS022140.
Citation: Bath J, Smith JB, Kruse RL .
Association of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio with outcomes after elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.
J Vasc Nurs 2019 Sep;37(3):213-20. doi: 10.1016/j.jvn.2019.06.001..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Surgery, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice
Rogers ES, Cuthel AM, Berry CA
Clinician perspectives on the benefits of practice facilitation for small primary care practices.
This study examined the effectiveness of practice facilitation to improve cardiovascular disease in 257 small independent primary care practices (SIPs) enrolled in the AHRQ-funded EvidenceNOW initiative called HealthyHearts. These SIPs were enrolled in HealthyHearts NYC in New York City. Interviews were conducted with SIPs with 3 or fewer office staff and their answers were compared with interviews with practices with more than 3 office staff. Three facilitation benefits were found to the most important, including 1. Creating awareness of quality gaps; 2. Connecting practices to information, resources, and strategies, and; 3. Optimizing the HER for QI goals.
AHRQ-funded; HS023922.
Citation: Rogers ES, Cuthel AM, Berry CA .
Clinician perspectives on the benefits of practice facilitation for small primary care practices.
Ann Fam Med 2019 Aug 12;17(Suppl 1):S17-s23. doi: 10.1370/afm.2427..
Keywords: Primary Care, Provider: Clinician, Provider: Physician, Provider, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Knierim KE, Hall TL, Dickinson LM
Primary care practices' ability to report electronic clinical quality measures in the EvidenceNOW Southwest Initiative to Improve Heart Health.
The objective of this study was to determine how quickly primary care practices can report electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) and to identify the practice characteristics associated with faster reporting. Examining the EvidenceNOW Southwest initiative, the researchers’ results showed that the time to report eCQMs varied by measure and practice type, with very few practices reporting quickly. Additional support for practices to succeed in new programs that require eCQM reporting was recommended.
AHRQ-funded; HS023904.
Citation: Knierim KE, Hall TL, Dickinson LM .
Primary care practices' ability to report electronic clinical quality measures in the EvidenceNOW Southwest Initiative to Improve Heart Health.
JAMA Netw Open 2019 Aug 2;2(8):e198569. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.8569..
Keywords: Primary Care, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality Measures, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Parchman ML, Anderson ML, Coleman K
Assessing quality improvement capacity in primary care practices.
The Healthy Hearts Northwest (H2N) Study is part of an AHRQ initiative to build quality improvement (QI) capacity in primary care with a focus on cardiovascular risk factors. The three main risk factors are appropriate aspirin use, blood pressure control, and tobacco screening/cessation. A practice facilitator (PF) met with clinicians and staff in the participating practices to discuss the results for each item on the Quality Improvement Capacity Assessment (QICA) scale. The score was associated with prior experience managing change and moderately associated with two of the three risk factors: aspirin use and blood pressure control. The QICA was found to be a useful assessment tool to measure QI capacity within a practice.
AHRQ-funded; HS023908.
Citation: Parchman ML, Anderson ML, Coleman K .
Assessing quality improvement capacity in primary care practices.
BMC Fam Pract 2019 Jul 25;20(1):103. doi: 10.1186/s12875-019-1000-1.
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Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Evidence-Based Practice, Heart Disease and Health, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Primary Care, Quality of Care, Quality Improvement
Hajduk AM, Gurwitz JH, Tabada G
Influence of multimorbidity on burden and appropriateness of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapies.
Researchers sought to determine whether burden of multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) influences the risk of receiving inappropriate vs appropriate device therapies. They studied adults with left ventricular systolic dysfunction receiving an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) for primary prevention. In these patients, they found that MCC burden was independently associated with an increased risk of inappropriate but not appropriate device therapies. They recommended considering comorbidity burden when engaging patients in shared decision making about ICD implantation.
AHRQ-funded; 290050033.
Citation: Hajduk AM, Gurwitz JH, Tabada G .
Influence of multimorbidity on burden and appropriateness of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapies.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2019 Jul;67(7):1370-78. doi: 10.1111/jgs.15839..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Chronic Conditions, Medical Devices, Prevention, Elderly, Risk, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Ahmad FS, Kallen MA, Schifferdecker KE
Development and initial validation of the PROMIS(R)-Plus-HF profile measure.
This paper describes the efforts to develop and validate the PROMIS®-Plus-HF (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System®-Plus-Heart Failure) profile measure. The authors conducted 8 focus groups with 61 patients with HF and phone interviews with 10 HF clinicians. They tested the measure with a 600-patient sample. Validity was analyzed and confirmed using Pearson r and Spearman rho correlations with Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire subscores. The measure consists of 86 items across 18 domains.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Ahmad FS, Kallen MA, Schifferdecker KE .
Development and initial validation of the PROMIS(R)-Plus-HF profile measure.
Circ Heart Fail 2019 Jun;12(6):e005751. doi: 10.1161/circheartfailure.118.005751.
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Keywords: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Shared Decision Making, Quality of Life, Health Status
Hoch JM, Fatusin O, Yenokyan G
Feeding methods for infants with single ventricle physiology are associated with length of stay during stage 2 surgery hospitalization.
The purpose of this paper was to identify types of feeding methods following stage 2 palliation and their influence on length of stay. Results showed that feeding methods established at admission for stage 2 palliation are not likely to change by discharge, and that length of stay is more likely to be impacted by tube feeding and intubation history than by age or weight-for-age z score at admission. Recommendations included a better understanding for selection of feeding methods and their impact on patient outcomes in order to develop evidence-based guidelines to decrease variability in clinical practice patterns and to provide appropriate counseling to caregivers.
AHRQ-funded; HS021114.
Citation: Hoch JM, Fatusin O, Yenokyan G .
Feeding methods for infants with single ventricle physiology are associated with length of stay during stage 2 surgery hospitalization.
Congenit Heart Dis 2019 May;14(3):438-45. doi: 10.1111/chd.12742.
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Keywords: Nutrition, Newborns/Infants, Children/Adolescents, Hospitalization, Surgery, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Sharma A, Sun JL, Lokhnygina Y
Patient phenotypes, cardiovascular risk, and ezetimibe treatment in patients after acute coronary syndromes (from IMPROVE-IT).
The authors of this article performed a hierarchical cluster analysis to identify acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients at high risk for adverse clinical events. Post-ACS patients were randomized to ezetimibe+simvastatin or placebo+simvastatin. Ezetimibe's impact on outcomes across clusters; the ability of the cluster analysis to discriminate for outcomes was compared with the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score. Outcomes included cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, or coronary revascularization at least 30 days after randomization. Compared with GRACE, cluster analysis did not provide superior outcome discrimination. Consistent ezetimibe treatment effect was identified across clusters. The authors conclude that cluster analysis identified significant difference in risk of outcomes across cluster groups.
AHRQ-funded; HS023000.
Citation: Sharma A, Sun JL, Lokhnygina Y .
Patient phenotypes, cardiovascular risk, and ezetimibe treatment in patients after acute coronary syndromes (from IMPROVE-IT).
Am J Cardiol 2019 Apr 15;123(8):1193-201. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2019.01.034..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Risk
Zullo AR, Mogul A, Corsi K
Association between secondary prevention medication use and outcomes in frail older adults after acute myocardial infarction.
In order to examine the effect of using more guideline-recommended medications after myocardial infarction on mortality, rehospitalization, and functional decline in the frailest and oldest segment of long-stay nursing home residents, researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study of U.S. nursing home residents aged 65 years or older. Exposure was the number of secondary prevention medications initiated after myocardial infarction; outcomes were 90-day death, rehospitalization, or functional decline. The results of the study indicate that the use of more guideline-recommended medications after myocardial infarction was associated with decreased mortality in older, predominantly frail adults, but there was no difference in rehospitalization. Functional decline outcomes were discordant and the researchers note that this does not rule out an increased risk associated with more medication use.
AHRQ-funded; HS022998.
Citation: Zullo AR, Mogul A, Corsi K .
Association between secondary prevention medication use and outcomes in frail older adults after acute myocardial infarction.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2019 Apr;12(4):e004942. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.118.004942..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Elderly, Heart Disease and Health, Medication, Nursing Homes, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Prevention