National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (2)
- Antibiotics (1)
- Antimicrobial Stewardship (1)
- Burnout (1)
- Cancer (1)
- Children/Adolescents (2)
- Clinical Decision Support (CDS) (1)
- COVID-19 (3)
- Elderly (1)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (3)
- Emergency Department (2)
- Healthcare Delivery (7)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (4)
- Implementation (2)
- Labor and Delivery (1)
- Lifestyle Changes (1)
- Long-Term Care (1)
- Medication (1)
- Newborns/Infants (1)
- Nursing (1)
- Nursing Homes (1)
- Patient Experience (1)
- Patient Safety (2)
- Practice Patterns (1)
- Primary Care (5)
- Primary Care: Models of Care (2)
- Provider (2)
- Quality Improvement (3)
- Quality of Care (3)
- Respiratory Conditions (2)
- Simulation (1)
- Surgery (2)
- System Design (1)
- Teams (1)
- Telehealth (1)
- Training (1)
- Transitions of Care (1)
- (-) Workflow (18)
- Workforce (1)
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 18 of 18 Research Studies DisplayedBurden A, Potestio C, Pukenas E
Influence of perioperative handoffs on complications and outcomes.
The authors describe the perioperative environment, calling it dynamic and complex, and indicate that there are multiple distractions that can interfere with effective communication and safe patient care. They discuss various aspects involved in handoffs, concluding that an institutional culture that highlights the importance of patient safety and that encourages team collaboration has demonstrated that harm can be decreased and patient safety can be improved.
AHRQ-funded; HS026158.
Citation: Burden A, Potestio C, Pukenas E .
Influence of perioperative handoffs on complications and outcomes.
Adv Anesth 2021 Dec;39:133-48. doi: 10.1016/j.aan.2021.07.008..
Keywords: Patient Safety, Transitions of Care, Workflow
Johnson KD, Schumacher D, Lee RC
Identifying strategies for the management of interruptions for novice triage nurses using an online modified Delphi method.
This study’s purpose was to use the Delphi Method to identify strategies used by triage nurses to effectively manage interrupts that can be taught to novice nurses. A panel of nine triage, education, and operational management experts were selected. The panel participated in three Delphi rounds. Results were synthesized and summaries returned to the participants. A final consensus was reached regarding recommendations for successful strategies to address triage interruptions. Eight strategies to mitigate the impact of interruptions were identified. Six of those strategies were identified as best being taught using simulation.
AHRQ-funded; HS025844.
Citation: Johnson KD, Schumacher D, Lee RC .
Identifying strategies for the management of interruptions for novice triage nurses using an online modified Delphi method.
J Nurs Scholarsh 2021 Nov;53(6):718-26. doi: 10.1111/jnu.12683..
Keywords: Nursing, Workflow
Salwei ME, Carayon P, Hoonakker PLT
Workflow integration analysis of a human factors-based clinical decision support in the emergency department.
Numerous challenges with the implementation, acceptance, and use of health IT are related to poor usability and a lack of integration of the technologies into clinical workflow, and have, therefore, limited the potential of these technologies to improve patient safety. In this paper, the investigators propose a definition and conceptual model of health IT workflow integration. Using interviews of 12 emergency department (ED) physicians, they identified 134 excerpts of barriers and facilitators to workflow integration of a human factors (HF)-based clinical decision support (CDS) implemented in the ED.
AHRQ-funded; HS022086.
Citation: Salwei ME, Carayon P, Hoonakker PLT .
Workflow integration analysis of a human factors-based clinical decision support in the emergency department.
Appl Ergon 2021 Nov;97:103498. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2021.103498..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Workflow, Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Health Information Technology (HIT), Implementation
Benneyan JC, White T, Nehls N
Systems analysis of a dedicated ambulatory respiratory unit for seeing and ensuring follow-up of patients with COVID-19 symptoms.
This paper is a systems analysis of a dedicated ambulatory respiratory unit for patients with COVID-19 symptoms. Workflow redesigns were necessitated by COVID and included new ambulatory workflows to handle surge volumes, protect patients and staff, and ensure timely reliable care. The workflow innovations observed can possibly be used to benefit routine care. Observations found that more than 85% of follow-ups were completed within 24 hours, and no staff or patient infections were associated with unit operations. Identified issues included role confusion, staffing and gatekeeping bottlenecks, and patient reluctance to visit in person or discuss concerns on the phone.
AHRQ-funded; HS027282.
Citation: Benneyan JC, White T, Nehls N .
Systems analysis of a dedicated ambulatory respiratory unit for seeing and ensuring follow-up of patients with COVID-19 symptoms.
J Ambul Care Manage 2021 Oct-Dec;44(4):293-303. doi: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000390..
Keywords: COVID-19, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Respiratory Conditions, Workflow, Healthcare Delivery
Joseph A, Neyens D, Mihandoust S
Impact of surgical table orientation on flow disruptions and movement patterns during pediatric outpatient surgeries.
This quantitative observational study observed the impacts of surgical table orientation on flow disruptions (FDs), the number of contacts between team members, and the distance traveled. Findings showed that the orientation of the surgical table significantly influenced staff workflow and movement in the operating room, with an angled surgical table orientation being the least disruptive to surgical work. The anesthesia provider, scrub nurse, and circulating nurse experienced more FDs compared to the surgeon.
AHRQ-funded; HS024380.
Citation: Joseph A, Neyens D, Mihandoust S .
Impact of surgical table orientation on flow disruptions and movement patterns during pediatric outpatient surgeries.
Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021 Jul 31;18(15). doi: 10.3390/ijerph18158114..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Surgery, Workflow
Hung DY, Mujal G, Jin A
Patient experiences after implementing lean primary care redesigns.
The authors examined the effect of Lean primary care redesigns on patient satisfaction with care and timeliness of care received. After implementation of Lean redesigns, they found that patients reported a 44.8 percent increase in satisfaction with the adequacy of time spent with care providers during office visits. They also reported 71.6 percent higher satisfaction with their care provider's ability to listen to their concerns and a 55.4 percent increase in perceived staff helpfulness at the visit. The amount of time elapsed between a patient request for a routine appointment and the scheduled visit day decreased. On the day of the visit, patient wait times to be seen also decreased gradually.
AHRQ-funded; HS024529.
Citation: Hung DY, Mujal G, Jin A .
Patient experiences after implementing lean primary care redesigns.
Health Serv Res 2021 Jun;56(3):363-70. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13605..
Keywords: Patient Experience, Primary Care: Models of Care, Primary Care, Workflow, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Freedman S, Golberstein E, Huang TY
Docs with their eyes on the clock? The effect of time pressures on primary care productivity.
J Health Econ 2021 May;77:102442. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2021.102442.
Investigators examined how time pressure, an important constraint faced by medical care providers, affects productivity in primary care. Data was taken from the electronic health records of a large integrated delivery system. They found that greater time pressure reduced the number of diagnoses recorded during a visit and increased both scheduled and unscheduled follow-up care. Further, they found evidence of increased low-value care, decreased preventive care, and decreased opioid prescribing.
Investigators examined how time pressure, an important constraint faced by medical care providers, affects productivity in primary care. Data was taken from the electronic health records of a large integrated delivery system. They found that greater time pressure reduced the number of diagnoses recorded during a visit and increased both scheduled and unscheduled follow-up care. Further, they found evidence of increased low-value care, decreased preventive care, and decreased opioid prescribing.
AHRQ-funded; HS000036.
Citation: Freedman S, Golberstein E, Huang TY .
Docs with their eyes on the clock? The effect of time pressures on primary care productivity.
J Health Econ 2021 May;77:102442. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2021.102442..
Keywords: Primary Care, Healthcare Delivery, Workflow
Linke SE, Kallenberg GR, Kronick R
Integrating "Exercise Is Medicine" into primary care workflow: a study protocol.
As a major contributor to the burden of most chronic diseases, insufficient physical activity (PA) creates a significant financial burden on the health care system. Exercise Is Medicine (EIM) is a global health initiative committed to the belief that PA is integral to the prevention and treatment of diseases and should be routinely assessed as a vital sign and treated in the health care setting. This paper described an in-progress embedded quality improvement (QI) project that integrated EIM into routine clinical practice.
AHRQ-funded; HS026517.
Citation: Linke SE, Kallenberg GR, Kronick R .
Integrating "Exercise Is Medicine" into primary care workflow: a study protocol.
Transl Behav Med 2021 Apr 26;11(4):921-29. doi: 10.1093/tbm/ibaa088..
Keywords: Primary Care, Lifestyle Changes, Workflow, Healthcare Delivery
Jurewicz KA, Neyens DM, Catchpole K
Observational study of anaesthesia workflow to evaluate physical workspace design and layout.
The objective of this study was to observe the relationship between task switching and physical layout, and then use the data collected to design and assess different anesthesia workspace layouts. Six videos of anesthesia providers from a single medical center in the United States were analyzed. Findings showed that current operating theater layouts do not fit work demands. The authors reported a simple method that facilitates a quick layout design assessment and showed that the anesthesia workspace can be improved to better suit workflow and patient care. They suggested that this arrangement could reduce anesthesia workload while improving task flow efficiency and potentially the safety of care.
AHRQ-funded; HS024380.
Citation: Jurewicz KA, Neyens DM, Catchpole K .
Observational study of anaesthesia workflow to evaluate physical workspace design and layout.
Br J Anaesth 2021 Mar;126(3):633-41. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2020.08.063..
Keywords: Workflow, Healthcare Delivery, Surgery
Hung DY, Truong QA, Liang SY
Implementing lean quality improvement in primary care: impact on efficiency in performing common clinical tasks.
Investigators examined 3-year impacts of Lean implementation on the amount of time taken for physicians to complete common clinical tasks. They found that Lean redesigns led to improvements in timely completion of 3 out of 4 common clinical tasks, thus supporting the use of Lean techniques to engage teams in routine aspects of patient care. They recommended more research to understand the mechanisms by which Lean promotes quality improvement and effectiveness of care team workflows.
AHRQ-funded; HS024529.
Citation: Hung DY, Truong QA, Liang SY .
Implementing lean quality improvement in primary care: impact on efficiency in performing common clinical tasks.
J Gen Intern Med 2021 Feb;36(2):274-79. doi: 10.1007/s11606-020-06317-9..
Keywords: Primary Care, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Primary Care: Models of Care, Primary Care, Implementation, Workflow, Teams, Healthcare Delivery
Patel VL, Denton CA, Soni HC
Physician workflow in two distinctive emergency departments: an observational study.
In this study, the investigators characterized physician workflow in two distinctive emergency departments (ED). Physician practices mediated by electronic health records (EHR) were explored within the context of organizational complexity for the delivery of care. The investigators concluded that 1.) the nature of the clinical practice and EHR-mediated workflow reflected the ED work practices; 2.) physicians in more complex organizations may be less efficient because of the fragmented workflow- however these effects could be mitigated by effort distribution through team communication, which affords inherent safety checks.
AHRQ-funded; HS022670.
Citation: Patel VL, Denton CA, Soni HC .
Physician workflow in two distinctive emergency departments: an observational study.
Appl Clin Inform 2021 Jan;12(1):141-52. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1722615..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Workflow, Healthcare Delivery, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Senathirajah Y, Kaufman DR, Cato KD
Characterizing and visualizing display and task fragmentation in the electronic health record: mixed methods design.
The complexity of health care data and workflow presents challenges to the study of usability in electronic health records (EHRs). This study aimed to define and analyze some of the main sources of fragmentation in EHR user interfaces (UIs); discuss relevant theoretical, historical, and practical considerations; and use granular microanalytic methods and visualization techniques to help us understand the nature of fragmentation and opportunities for EHR optimization or redesign.
AHRQ-funded; HS023708.
Citation: Senathirajah Y, Kaufman DR, Cato KD .
Characterizing and visualizing display and task fragmentation in the electronic health record: mixed methods design.
JMIR Hum Factors 2020 Oct 21;7(4):e18484. doi: 10.2196/18484..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Workflow, System Design
Gold JA, Becton J, Ash JS
Do you know what your scribe did last spring? The impact of COVID-19 on medical scribe workflow.
This study assessed the impact of COVID-19 on the workflow of medical scribes. This prospective observational study was conducted at an academic medical center in the United States. A total of 74 scribes working in ambulatory practices were recruited, with 57 scribes completing the survey. Overall, 42% of scribes transitioned to remote scribing with 97% serving as remote scribes for telehealth visits. These scribes worked at home and used personal equipment. Of those no longer working as scribes, 46% worked in preclinic support, with a wide range of EHR-related activities reported. The remainder were either redeployed or furloughed.
AHRQ-funded; HS025141.
Citation: Gold JA, Becton J, Ash JS .
Do you know what your scribe did last spring? The impact of COVID-19 on medical scribe workflow.
Appl Clin Inform 2020 Oct;11(5):807-11. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1721396..
Keywords: COVID-19, Workflow, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Ramly E, Tong M, Bondar S
Workflow barriers and strategies to reduce antibiotic overuse in nursing homes.
Antibiotic overuse is a significant problem in nursing homes (NHs). Strategies to improve antibiotic prescribing practices in NHs are a critical need. In this study, the investigators analyzed antibiotic prescribing workflows to identify strategies for improving antibiotic prescribing in NHs. They found that such strategies included structured information tools, nurse and prescriber education, and organizational improvement.
AHRQ-funded; HS022465.
Citation: Ramly E, Tong M, Bondar S .
Workflow barriers and strategies to reduce antibiotic overuse in nursing homes.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2020 Oct;68(10):2222-31. doi: 10.1111/jgs.16632..
Keywords: Workflow, Antibiotics, Medication, Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Elderly, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Practice Patterns
Daly Guris RJ, Doshi A, Boyer DL
Just-in-time simulation to guide workflow design for coronavirus disease 2019 difficult airway management.
This paper describes the development and enactment of a number of simulation exercises, increasing in complexity for clinicians to practice intubation of critically ill children while wearing personal protective equipment due to coronavirus disease. The simulations ended up aiding in a real-life situation that then occurred less than 12 hours later that validated potential failure points and effectiveness of rapidly generated guidance. From this simulation a COVID-19 airway bundle template was created.
AHRQ-funded; HS026939; HS024511.
Citation: Daly Guris RJ, Doshi A, Boyer DL .
Just-in-time simulation to guide workflow design for coronavirus disease 2019 difficult airway management.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2020 Aug;21(8):e485-e90. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002435..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Respiratory Conditions, Workflow, Simulation, Training
Herrick HM, Lorch S, Hsu JY
Impact of flow disruptions in the delivery room.
The goal of this study was to identify the impact of flow disruptions during neonatal resuscitation and to determine their association with key process and outcome measures. Delivery-room resuscitations of neonates less 32 weeks gestational age were video recorded for observation. Results showed that flow disruptions occurred frequently during neonatal resuscitation and recommendations included measuring flow disruptions as a feasible method to assess the impact of human factors in the delivery room and to identify modifiable factors and practices to improve patient care.
AHRQ-funded; HS023538; HS026491; HS026625; HS023806.
Citation: Herrick HM, Lorch S, Hsu JY .
Impact of flow disruptions in the delivery room.
Resuscitation 2020 May;150:29-35. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2020.02.037.
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Keywords: Workflow, Labor and Delivery, Newborns/Infants, Patient Safety, Healthcare Delivery, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Goldberg DG, Soylu TG, Grady VM
Indicators of workplace burnout among physicians, advanced practice clinicians, and staff in small to medium-sized primary care practices.
The goal of this study was to examine whether individual behaviors and attitudes towards major disruptive change has an effect on workplace burnout. Using surveys from healthcare professionals, researchers’ findings showed workplace burnout reported by 31.6% of physicians, 17.2% of advanced practice clinicians, 18.9% of clinical support staff, and 17.5% of administrative staff, with all healthcare professional groups having high levels of anxiety. Providers who experienced higher levels of anxiety and withdrawal were more than three times as likely to report burnout compared to those who experienced low levels in these domains.
AHRQ-funded; HS023913.
Citation: Goldberg DG, Soylu TG, Grady VM .
Indicators of workplace burnout among physicians, advanced practice clinicians, and staff in small to medium-sized primary care practices.
J Am Board Fam Med 2020 May-Jun;33(3):378-85. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2020.03.190260..
Keywords: Burnout, Primary Care, Provider, Workflow, Workforce
Craddock Lee SJ, Reimer T, Garcia S
Definition and coordination of roles and responsibilities among cancer center clinic and research personnel.
This survey looked at how cancer center clinic and research personnel define their roles and responsibilities. A survey was developed that incorporated modified components of the Survey of Physician Attitudes Regarding the Care of Cancer Survivors and was administered to clinic nursing staff and research personnel at a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. Surveys were completed by 105 staff members (50 research staff, 55 clinic staff, 61% response rate). Research staff were more likely to feel that they had the skills to answer questions, convey information, and provide education for patients. Less than one-third of clinic and research staff reported ever receiving communication about responsibilities. There was also substantial variation in the preferred model for delivery to care of patients in clinical trials.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Craddock Lee SJ, Reimer T, Garcia S .
Definition and coordination of roles and responsibilities among cancer center clinic and research personnel.
JCO Oncol Pract 2020 Jan;16(1):e64-e74. doi: 10.1200/jop.19.00315..
Keywords: Cancer, Provider, Workflow