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AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Access to Care (1)
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (1)
- Behavioral Health (1)
- Burnout (2)
- Cancer (1)
- Community-Based Practice (1)
- Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) (1)
- Cultural Competence (1)
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- Implementation (6)
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- Primary Care: Models of Care (7)
- Provider (4)
- Provider: Clinician (2)
- Provider: Nurse (1)
- Provider: Physician (2)
- Provider Performance (1)
- Quality Improvement (9)
- Quality of Care (12)
- Social Determinants of Health (1)
- Stress (1)
- Substance Abuse (1)
- Teams (5)
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- Vulnerable Populations (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 25 of 28 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
Poghosyan L, Ghaffari A, Liu J
Organizational support for nurse practitioners in primary care and workforce outcomes.
Lack of organizational support in healthcare settings has been linked to high levels of clinician stress, burnout, and job dissatisfaction. Little research exists on organizational support for nurse practitioners. In this study, the researchers investigated the relationship between organizational support and nurse practitioner outcomes, including job satisfaction, intent to leave, and quality of care. The investigators concluded that nurse practitioners from primary care practices with higher levels of organizational support were more likely to be satisfied with their jobs, have less intent to leave their jobs, and report better quality of care.
AHRQ-funded; HS024758.
Citation: Poghosyan L, Ghaffari A, Liu J .
Organizational support for nurse practitioners in primary care and workforce outcomes.
Nurs Res 2020 Jul/Aug;69(4):280-88. doi: 10.1097/nnr.0000000000000425..
Keywords: Provider: Clinician, Provider, Primary Care, Burnout, Stress, Workforce, Organizational Change
Kaufman A, Dickinson WP, Fagnan LJ
The role of health extension in practice transformation and community health improvement: lessons from 5 case studies.
The states of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington stand out in stretching the boundaries of health extension; their stories reveal lessons learned regarding the successes and challenges. All states saw the need for long-term, sustained fundraising beyond grants in an environment expecting a short-term return on investment, and they were challenged operating in a shifting health system landscape where the creativity and personal relationships built with small primary care practices was hindered when these practices were purchased by larger health delivery systems.
AHRQ-funded; HS020890; HS020972; HS23904; HS023908.
Citation: Kaufman A, Dickinson WP, Fagnan LJ .
The role of health extension in practice transformation and community health improvement: lessons from 5 case studies.
Ann Fam Med 2019 Aug 12;17(Suppl 1):S67-s72. doi: 10.1370/afm.2409..
Keywords: Community-Based Practice, Health Services Research (HSR), Healthcare Delivery, Organizational Change, Primary Care, Social Determinants of Health, Practice Improvement
Hung DY, Harrison MI, Liang SY
AHRQ Author: Harrison MI
Contextual conditions and performance improvement in primary care.
This study examined organizational features of primary care clinics that had gone through Lean redesigns and had experienced the greatest performance improvements. They surveyed 1333 physicians and staff in 43 primary care clinics across a large primary care system. They found that clinics with prior experience with quality improvement had the highest increases in efficiency. Clinics reporting the highest levels of burnout and work stress before the redesign also made efficiency gains. Physician productivity gains was associated with a history of change, staff participation and leadership support. The greatest improvements in patient satisfaction occurred where there was the lowest stress levels with highest levels of teamwork, staff engagement and leadership support.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 2902010000221.
Citation: Hung DY, Harrison MI, Liang SY .
Contextual conditions and performance improvement in primary care.
Qual Manag Health Care 2019 Apr/Jun;28(2):70-77. doi: 10.1097/qmh.0000000000000198..
Keywords: Organizational Change, Healthcare Delivery, Primary Care, Provider Performance, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Workflow
Hung DY, Gray CP, Truong QA
AHRQ Author: Harrison MI
Sustainment of lean redesigns for primary care teams.
This mixed-methods study examined the sustainment of Lean workflow redesigns for primary care teams several years after being implemented in a large, ambulatory care delivery system. Results showed that staff participation in Lean redesign is a key to facilitating buy-in and adherence to changes. Change ownership and continued availability of time for improvement activities are also critical to the long-term success of Lean implementation in primary care.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 2902010000221.
Citation: Hung DY, Gray CP, Truong QA .
Sustainment of lean redesigns for primary care teams.
Qual Manag Health Care 2019 Jan/Mar;28(1):15-24. doi: 10.1097/qmh.0000000000000200..
Keywords: Primary Care, Workflow, Teams, Organizational Change, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Wagner EH, LeRoy L, Schaefer J
AHRQ Author: Zhan C, Meyers D.
How do innovative primary care practices achieve the quadruple aim?
The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) defines excellent primary care but there is little empiric evidence that helps practices, payers, or policy makers understand how high-performing practices have improved outcomes. This paper reports findings from 38 high-performing practices. The authors describe how these practices execute 8 functions that collectively meet patient needs.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Wagner EH, LeRoy L, Schaefer J .
How do innovative primary care practices achieve the quadruple aim?
J Ambul Care Manage 2018 Oct/Dec;41(4):288-97. doi: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000249..
Keywords: Primary Care, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Practice Improvement, Organizational Change, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Harrison MI, Grantham S
AHRQ Author: Harrison MI
Learning from implementation setbacks: identifying and responding to contextual challenges.
The authors addressed organizational learning about implementation context during setbacks to primary care redesign in an ambulatory system. They found that redesigned teams were not implemented as widely or rapidly as anticipated and did not deliver hoped-for gains in operational metrics; however, team redesign was leading to improvements in chronic care and prevention and eased provider burden. Redesign and system leaders engaged in more thorough organizational learning. Their responses to challenges helped to strengthen the redesign's prospects, improved the delivery system's position in its labor market, and helped the system prepare to meet emerging requirements for value-based care and population health.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 2902010000341.
Citation: Harrison MI, Grantham S .
Learning from implementation setbacks: identifying and responding to contextual challenges.
Learn Health Syst 2018 Oct;2(4):e10068. doi: 10.1002/lrh2.10068..
Keywords: Organizational Change, Learning Health Systems, Health Systems, Primary Care: Models of Care, Primary Care, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Implementation
McDonald KM, Rodriguez HP, Shortell SM
Organizational influences on time pressure stressors and potential patient consequences in primary care.
This study examines organizational determinants and patient consequences of time pressure, theorizing two types of time pressure and based on analysis of data from surveys of care team members and their patients. Measures of the two types - encounter-level and practice-level - were not correlated, nor predicted, which supported the hypothesis. Different organizational factors are associated with each type.
AHRQ-funded; HS024075.
Citation: McDonald KM, Rodriguez HP, Shortell SM .
Organizational influences on time pressure stressors and potential patient consequences in primary care.
Med Care 2018 Oct;56(10):822-30. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000974..
Keywords: Organizational Change, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Primary Care
Skinner D, Franz B, Howard J
The politics of primary care expansion: lessons from cancer survivorship and substance abuse.
The purpose of this study was to understand the perspectives of primary care innovators treating patient populations not traditionally considered to be within the purview of primary care. The authors indicated that their study findings suggested that the politics surrounding entrenched professional identities contributed to barriers faced by conference participants in their efforts to provide innovative care for these nontraditional populations. Specifically, obstacles surfaced in relation to sharing patients across disciplinary boundaries, which resulted in issues of possessiveness, a questioning of provider qualifications, and a lack of interprofessional trust.
AHRQ-funded; HS021287.
Citation: Skinner D, Franz B, Howard J .
The politics of primary care expansion: lessons from cancer survivorship and substance abuse.
J Healthc Manag 2018 Sep-Oct;63(5):323-36. doi: 10.1097/jhm-d-16-00030..
Keywords: Primary Care, Primary Care: Models of Care, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Cancer, Substance Abuse, Policy, Healthcare Delivery, Organizational Change, Quality of Care
Hung DY, Harrison MI , Truong Q
AHRQ Author: Harrison MI
Experiences of primary care physicians and staff following lean workflow redesign.
The researchers examined the work experiences of primary care physicians and staff after implementing Lean-based workflow redesigns. They found that both physicians and nonphysician staff reported higher levels of engagement and teamwork after implementing redesigns. However, the subjects also experienced higher levels of burnout and perceptions of the workplace as stressful.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201000022I.
Citation: Hung DY, Harrison MI , Truong Q .
Experiences of primary care physicians and staff following lean workflow redesign.
BMC Health Serv Res 2018 Apr 10;18(1):274. doi: 10.1186/s12913-018-3062-5.
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Keywords: Primary Care, Workflow, Burnout, Organizational Change, Provider: Physician, Teams
Hoff T, Scott S
The strategic nature of individual change behavior: how physicians and their staff implement medical home care.
The purpose of this study was to gain insight into patient-centered medical home (PCMH) implementation at the workplace level by understanding better how primary care physicians and staff perceive, experience, and use certain types of PCMH work for adapting to new demands. The investigators indicated that the findings showed that particular forms of PCMH work not only advanced patient care in favorable ways but also enhanced individual and organizational capacity for adapting to this innovative model and its demands.
AHRQ-funded; HS020931.
Citation: Hoff T, Scott S .
The strategic nature of individual change behavior: how physicians and their staff implement medical home care.
Health Care Manage Rev 2017 Jul/Sep;42(3):226-36. doi: 10.1097/hmr.0000000000000109..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care, Organizational Change, Practice Improvement, Implementation
Kerrissey M, Satterstrom P, Leydon N
Integrating: a managerial practice that enables implementation in fragmented health care environments.
This inductive qualitative study examines primary care clinics implementing improvement efforts in order to identify mechanisms that enable implementation despite common barriers, such as lack of time and fragmentation across stakeholder groups. It found that successfully implementing clinics exhibited the managerial practice of integrating, which was defined as achieving unity of effort among stakeholder groups in the pursuit of a shared and mutually developed goal.
AHRQ-funded; HS019508.
Citation: Kerrissey M, Satterstrom P, Leydon N .
Integrating: a managerial practice that enables implementation in fragmented health care environments.
Health Care Manage Rev 2017 Jul/Sep;42(3):213-25. doi: 10.1097/hmr.0000000000000114.
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Keywords: Primary Care, Quality Improvement, Organizational Change, Implementation, Quality of Care
Applequist J, Miller-Day M, Cronholm PF
“In principle we have agreement, but in practice it is a bit more difficult”: obtaining organizational buy-in to patient-centered medical home transformation.
The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is a model of care that emphasizes the coordination of patient treatment among health care providers. Practice transformation to this model, however, presents a number of challenges. One of these challenges is getting the buy-in of all personnel to commit to making organizational changes in the journey to becoming a nationally recognized medical home. This study, grounded in stakeholder theory, investigated internal messages of buy-in as communicated by practices transitioning to this type of care.
AHRQ-funded; HS019150.
Citation: Applequist J, Miller-Day M, Cronholm PF .
“In principle we have agreement, but in practice it is a bit more difficult”: obtaining organizational buy-in to patient-centered medical home transformation.
Qual Health Res 2017 May;27(6):909-22. doi: 10.1177/1049732316680601..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Organizational Change, Primary Care: Models of Care, Primary Care
Clark KD, Miller BF, Green LA
Implementation of behavioral health interventions in real world scenarios: managing complex change.
This paper reports the change management strategies employed by practice leaders making changes to integrate care, as observed by independent investigators. It offers an empirically based set of actionable recommendations that are relevant to a range of leaders (policymakers, medical directors) and practice members who wish to effectively manage the complex changes associated with integrated primary care.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Clark KD, Miller BF, Green LA .
Implementation of behavioral health interventions in real world scenarios: managing complex change.
Fam Syst Health 2017 Mar;35(1):36-45. doi: 10.1037/fsh0000239.
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Keywords: Behavioral Health, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care, Implementation, Organizational Change, Healthcare Delivery
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
Rodriguez HP, Chen X, Martinez AE
Availability of primary care team members can improve teamwork and readiness for change.
Researchers conducted a survey of adult primary care providers and staff in California safety net practices to assess primary care team structure (team size, team member availability, and access to interdisciplinary expertise), teamwork, and readiness for change. Greater team member availability was associated with greater readiness for change, but the relationship was stronger for staff than for primary care providers.
AHRQ-funded; HS020120.
Citation: Rodriguez HP, Chen X, Martinez AE .
Availability of primary care team members can improve teamwork and readiness for change.
Health Care Manage Rev 2016 Oct-Dec;41(4):286-95. doi: 10.1097/hmr.0000000000000082.
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Keywords: Primary Care, Teams, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Organizational Change, Practice Improvement
Hung D, Chung S, Martinez M
Effect of organizational culture on patient access, care continuity, and experience of primary care.
The authors examined relationships between organizational culture and patient-centered outcomes in primary care. They found that, compared with a "Group-oriented" culture, a "Rational" culture type was associated with longer appointment wait times, and both "Hierarchical" and "Developmental" culture types were associated with less care continuity, but better patient experiences with care.
AHRQ-funded; HS019815; HS019167.
Citation: Hung D, Chung S, Martinez M .
Effect of organizational culture on patient access, care continuity, and experience of primary care.
J Ambul Care Manage 2016 Jul-Sep;39(3):242-52. doi: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000116.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Organizational Change, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient Experience, Primary Care
Poghosyan L, Liu J
Nurse practitioner autonomy and relationships with leadership affect teamwork in primary care practices: a cross-sectional survey.
The authors investigated whether nurse practitioner (NP) autonomy within primary care practices and the relationships they have with leadership affect teamwork between NPs and physicians. They concluded that NP autonomy and favorable relationships with leadership improve teamwork, and they recommended that policy and organizational change focus on promoting NP autonomy and improving the relationship between NPs and leadership to improve teamwork and consequently improve patient care and outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS020999.
Citation: Poghosyan L, Liu J .
Nurse practitioner autonomy and relationships with leadership affect teamwork in primary care practices: a cross-sectional survey.
J Gen Intern Med 2016 Jul;31(7):771-7. doi: 10.1007/s11606-016-3652-z.
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Keywords: Nursing, Organizational Change, Primary Care, Teams
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
Howard J, Etz RS, Crocker JB
Maximizing the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) by choosing words wisely.
The authors described new terminology that some innovative primary care practices are using to support the transformational culture of the PCMH. Using data from the AHRQ-funded Working Conference for PCMH Innovation 2013, they found that language innovations were used by 5 of the 10 convened practices and that participants felt that the language used was important for reinforcing substantive changes. They concluded that new terminology must represent values to which practices genuinely aspire.
AHRQ-funded; HS021287.
Citation: Howard J, Etz RS, Crocker JB .
Maximizing the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) by choosing words wisely.
J Am Board Fam Med 2016 Mar-Apr;29(2):248-53. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2016.02.150199.
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Keywords: Cultural Competence, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care, Organizational Change
Fontaine P, Whitebird R, Solberg LI
Minnesota's early experience with medical home implementation: viewpoints from the front lines.
This study aimed to identify the facilitators and barriers encountered by nine diverse primary care practices selected from the first 80 to achieve patient-centered medical home (PCMH) certification in Minnesota. It found that facilitators to achieve PCMH certification included a requirement for patient involvement, which pushed practices to create patient-centered innovations, and new reimbursement models based on quality indicators for a population.
AHRQ-funded; HS019161.
Citation: Fontaine P, Whitebird R, Solberg LI .
Minnesota's early experience with medical home implementation: viewpoints from the front lines.
J Gen Intern Med 2015 Jul;30(7):899-906. doi: 10.1007/s11606-014-3136-y..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care, Implementation, Organizational Change, Healthcare Delivery, Practice Improvement, Health Services Research (HSR)
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
Nembhard IM, Yuan CT, Shabanova V
The relationship between voice climate and patients' experience of timely care in primary care clinics.
The aims of this study were to assess the relationship between organizational climate and patients’ reports of timely care in primary care clinics and to broadly examine the link between staff’s work environment and patient care experiences. It found that clinical and administrative staff (e.g., nurses and office assistants) reported clinics’ climates to be significantly less supportive of voice than did clinical leaders (e.g., physicians).
AHRQ-funded; HS018987; HS016978.
Citation: Nembhard IM, Yuan CT, Shabanova V .
The relationship between voice climate and patients' experience of timely care in primary care clinics.
Health Care Manage Rev 2015 Apr-Jun;40(2):104-15. doi: 10.1097/hmr.0000000000000017..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Patient Experience, Primary Care, Quality of Care, Organizational Change, Provider
James KA, Ross SE, Vance B
AHRQ Author: Harrison MI
Inefficiency in primary care: common causes and potential solutions.
The researchers undertook a project to better understand the sources of and remedies for inefficiency in primary care. With the data they collected, they created a website (http:// cufamilymedicine.org/efficiency) that busy primary care practices can use to learn about common sources of inefficiency in primary care and real-world suggestions on how to improve.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: James KA, Ross SE, Vance B .
Inefficiency in primary care: common causes and potential solutions.
Fam Pract Manag 2015 Mar-Apr;22(2):18-22..
Keywords: Primary Care, Organizational Change
Solberg LI, Crain AL, Tillema JO
Challenges of medical home transformation reported by 118 patient-centered medical home (PCMH) leaders.
The authors surveyed newly-certified medical homes in Minnesota to determine the most important organizational factors and strategies for transforming primary clinics into patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs). They found that many items in the survey about transformation seem to have face validity for leaders of certified PCMHs and to be associated with the extent to which their clinics have made systems changes.
AHRQ-funded; HS019161.
Citation: Solberg LI, Crain AL, Tillema JO .
Challenges of medical home transformation reported by 118 patient-centered medical home (PCMH) leaders.
J Am Board Fam Med 2014 Jul-Aug;27(4):449-57. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2014.04.130303.
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Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Practice Improvement, Primary Care: Models of Care, Primary Care, Organizational Change, Quality of Care