National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Adverse Events (2)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (3)
- Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) (3)
- Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) (3)
- Clostridium difficile Infections (1)
- Critical Care (1)
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- (-) Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) (15)
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- Patient Safety (9)
- Payment (6)
- Pneumonia (1)
- Policy (1)
- Prevention (1)
- Provider Performance (1)
- Quality Indicators (QIs) (1)
- Quality of Care (3)
- Risk (1)
- Sepsis (1)
- Surgery (2)
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) (3)
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 15 of 15 Research Studies DisplayedLikosky DS, Yang G, Zhang M
Interhospital variability in health care-associated infections and payments after durable ventricular assist device implant among Medicare beneficiaries.
The purpose of this study was to examine differences in durable ventricular assist device implantation infection rates and associated costs across hospitals. The researchers utilized clinical data for 8,688 patients who received primary durable ventricular assist devices from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (Intermacs) hospitals (n = 120) and merged that data with post-implantation 90-day Medicare claims. The primary outcome included infections within 90 days of implantation and Medicare payments. The study found that 27.8% of patients developed 3982 identified infections. The median adjusted incidence of infections (per 100 patient-months) across hospitals was 14.3 and differed according to hospital. Total Medicare payments from implantation to 90 days were 9.0% more in high versus low infection tercile hospitals. The researchers concluded that health-care-associated infection rates post durable ventricular assist device implantation varied according to hospital and were associated with increased 90-day Medicare expenditures.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Likosky DS, Yang G, Zhang M .
Interhospital variability in health care-associated infections and payments after durable ventricular assist device implant among Medicare beneficiaries.
J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2022 Nov;164(5):1561-68. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2021.04.074..
Keywords: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Medical Devices, Medicare, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Hospitals, Payment, Healthcare Costs
Kim KD, Funk RJ, Hou H
Association between care fragmentation and total spending after durable left ventricular device implant: a mediation analysis of health care-associated infections within a national Medicare-Society of Thoracic Surgeons INTERMACS linked dataset.
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between care fragmentation and total spending for durable left ventricular assisted device (LVAD) implant, and whether this relationship is mediated by infections. The researchers developed a measure of care fragmentation based on the number of shared medical professionals providing care to 4,987 Medicare beneficiaries undergoing LVAD implantation. The study found that the indirect effect of care fragmentation, through infections, was positive and statistically significant. The researchers concluded that higher care fragmentation associated with durable LVAD implantation is related with a greater incidence of infections and higher Medicare beneficiary payments.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Kim KD, Funk RJ, Hou H .
Association between care fragmentation and total spending after durable left ventricular device implant: a mediation analysis of health care-associated infections within a national Medicare-Society of Thoracic Surgeons INTERMACS linked dataset.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2022 Sep;15(9):e008592. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.121.008592..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Medicare, Medical Devices, Healthcare Delivery
Arntson E, Dimick JB, Nuliyalu U
Changes in hospital-acquired conditions and mortality associated with the hospital-acquired condition reduction program.
This study evaluated changes in Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HACs) and 30-day mortality after the announcement of the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services’ Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP) in August 2013. The authors evaluated models to test for changes in HACs and 30-day mortality before and after the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and after the HACRP. Fee-for-service Medicare claims from 2009 to 2015 were used. The HAC rate declined after the ACA was passed and declined further after the HACRP announcement. However, 30-day mortality rates were unchanged.
AHRQ-funded; HS026244.
Citation: Arntson E, Dimick JB, Nuliyalu U .
Changes in hospital-acquired conditions and mortality associated with the hospital-acquired condition reduction program.
Ann Surg 2021 Oct 1;274(4):e301-e07. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000003641..
Keywords: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Hospitals, Mortality, Medicare, Payment, Prevention, Patient Safety
Sankaran R, Gulseren B, Nuliyalu U R, Gulseren B, Nuliyalu U
A comparison of estimated cost savings from potential reductions in hospital-acquired conditions to levied penalties under the CMS Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program.
The Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP) from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reduces Medicare payments to hospitals with high rates of hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) by 1% each year. It is not known how the savings accruing to CMS from such penalties compare to savings resulting from a reduction in HACs driven by this program. This study compared the reported savings to CMS from financial penalties levied under the HACRP with savings resulting from potential reductions in HACs.
AHRQ-funded; HS000053; HS026244.
Citation: Sankaran R, Gulseren B, Nuliyalu U R, Gulseren B, Nuliyalu U .
A comparison of estimated cost savings from potential reductions in hospital-acquired conditions to levied penalties under the CMS Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program.
Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2020 Aug;46(8):438-47. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2020.05.002.
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Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Hospitals, Patient Safety, Medicare
Hsu HE, Wang R, Broadwell C
Association between federal value-based incentive programs and health care-associated infection rates in safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals.
The authors assessed the association of Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP) and Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) implementation with changes in rates of targeted health care-associated infections and disparities in rates among safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals. They found that HACRP and HVBP implementation was not associated with any improvements in targeted health care-associated infections among safety-net or non-safety-net hospitals or with changes in disparities in infection rates. They concluded that, given the persistent health care-associated infection rate disparities, these programs appear to function as a disproportionate penalty system for safety-net hospitals that offer no measurable benefits for patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS018414.
Citation: Hsu HE, Wang R, Broadwell C .
Association between federal value-based incentive programs and health care-associated infection rates in safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Jul;3(7):e209700. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.9700..
Keywords: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Hospitals, Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI), Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI), Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), Medicare, Patient Safety
Sankaran R, Sukul D, Nuliyalu U
Changes in hospital safety following penalties in the US Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction Program: retrospective cohort study.
This study evaluated the association between hospital penalization in the US Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP) and changes in clinical outcomes. Out of the total of 724 hospitals were penalized in fiscal year 2015, 708 were included in the study. The majority of the penalized hospitals were large teaching institutions and have a greater share of low-income patients than non-penalized hospitals. After penalization, there was a non-significant change in hospital acquired conditions, 30-day readmission rates, and 30-day mortality. This might mean that disparities in care could be exacerbated.
AHRQ-funded; HS026244.
Citation: Sankaran R, Sukul D, Nuliyalu U .
Changes in hospital safety following penalties in the US Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction Program: retrospective cohort study.
BMJ 2019 Jul 3;366:l4109. doi: 10.1136/bmj.l4109..
Keywords: Health Insurance, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Hospitals, Medicare, Patient Safety, Provider Performance, Payment, Quality of Care, Quality Indicators (QIs)
Thompson MP, Cabrera L, Strobel RJ
Association between postoperative pneumonia and 90-day episode payments and outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries undergoing cardiac surgery.
Postoperative pneumonia is the most common healthcare-associated infection in cardiac surgical patients, yet their impact across a 90-day episode of care remains unknown. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between pneumonia and 90-day episode payments and outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries undergoing cardiac surgery. The investigators concluded that postoperative pneumonia was associated with significantly higher 90-day episode payments and inferior outcomes at the patient and hospital level.
AHRQ-funded; HS022535.
Citation: Thompson MP, Cabrera L, Strobel RJ .
Association between postoperative pneumonia and 90-day episode payments and outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries undergoing cardiac surgery.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2018 Sep;11(9):e004818. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.118.004818..
Keywords: Elderly, Surgery, Medicare, Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Pneumonia, Payment, Healthcare Costs, Outcomes, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Health Insurance
Metersky ML, Eldridge N, Wang Y
AHRQ Author: Eldridge N
National trends in the frequency of bladder catheterization and physician-diagnosed catheter-associated urinary tract infections: results from the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System.
The researchers assessed bladder catheterization frequency (percentage of patients catheterized) and risk-adjusted catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI frequency (percentage of catheterized patients developing CAUTI) from 2009-2014. They found statistically significant declines in observed bladder catheterization frequency and adjusted CAUTI frequency in some patient populations between 2009 and 2014.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201200003C; HS019767; HS024385; HS018334.
Citation: Metersky ML, Eldridge N, Wang Y .
National trends in the frequency of bladder catheterization and physician-diagnosed catheter-associated urinary tract infections: results from the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System.
Am J Infect Control 2017 Aug;45(8):901-04. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2017.03.008.
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Keywords: Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI), Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), Patient Safety, Adverse Events, Medicare
Dubberke ER, Olsen MA, Stwalley D
Identification of Medicare recipients at highest risk for Clostridium difficile infection in the US by population attributable risk analysis.
This study determined the population attributable risk percent (PAR%) for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in various subpopulations in the Medicare 5% random sample. It found that small and identifiable subpopulations that account for relatively large proportions of CDI cases in the elderly were identified. These data can be used to target specific subpopulations for CDI prevention interventions.
AHRQ-funded; HS019455.
Citation: Dubberke ER, Olsen MA, Stwalley D .
Identification of Medicare recipients at highest risk for Clostridium difficile infection in the US by population attributable risk analysis.
PLoS One 2016 Feb 9;11(2):e0146822. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146822.
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Keywords: Medicare, Clostridium difficile Infections, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Risk
Calderwood MS, Vaz LE, Tse Kawai A
Impact of hospital operating margin on central line-associated bloodstream infections following Medicare's hospital-acquired conditions payment policy.
In October 2008, Medicare ceased additional payment for hospital-acquired conditions not present on admission. The researchers evaluated the policy's differential impact in hospitals with high vs low operating margins. They concluded that Medicare's payment policy may have had an impact on reducing central line-associated bloodstream infections in hospitals with low operating margins.
AHRQ-funded; HS018414.
Citation: Calderwood MS, Vaz LE, Tse Kawai A .
Impact of hospital operating margin on central line-associated bloodstream infections following Medicare's hospital-acquired conditions payment policy.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016 Jan;37(1):100-3. doi: 10.1017/ice.2015.250.
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Keywords: Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI), Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Medicare, Quality of Care, Payment, Sepsis
Kawai AT, Calderwood MS, Jin R
Impact of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services hospital-acquired conditions policy on billing rates for 2 targeted healthcare-associated infections.
The 2008 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital-acquired conditions policy limited additional payment for conditions deemed reasonably preventable. This study examined whether this policy was associated with decreases in billing rates for 2 targeted conditions, vascular catheter-associated infections (VCAI) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). The CMS policy appears to have been associated with immediate reductions in billing rates for VCAI and CAUTI, followed by a slight decreasing trend or leveling-off in rates.
AHRQ-funded; HS018414.
Citation: Kawai AT, Calderwood MS, Jin R .
Impact of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services hospital-acquired conditions policy on billing rates for 2 targeted healthcare-associated infections.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015 Aug;36(8):871-7. doi: 10.1017/ice.2015.86.
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Keywords: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Policy, Medicare, Payment, Hospitals, Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI), Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), Healthcare Costs
Vaz LE, Kleinman KP, Kawai AT
Impact of Medicare's hospital-acquired condition policy on infections in safety net and non-safety net hospitals.
The researchers sought to determine whether the 2008 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital-Acquired Conditions policy had a differential impact on targeted healthcare-associated infection rates in safety net compared with non–safety net hospitals. They found that this policy did not have an impact, either positive or negative, on already declining rates of central line–associated bloodstream infection in safety net or non–safety net hospitals.
AHRQ-funded; HS018414.
Citation: Vaz LE, Kleinman KP, Kawai AT .
Impact of Medicare's hospital-acquired condition policy on infections in safety net and non-safety net hospitals.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015 Jun;36(6):649-55. doi: 10.1017/ice.2015.38..
Keywords: Patient Safety, Medicare, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI), Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)
Waters TM, Daniels MJ, Bazzoli GJ
Effect of Medicare's nonpayment for hospital-acquired conditions: lessons for future policy.
This study measured the association between Medicare’s nonpayment policy and 4 outcomes addressed by the Hospital-Acquired Conditions Initiative and found improvements in both the rates of central-line associated bloodstream infections and catheter-related urinary tract infections but no improvements for either hospital acquired pressure ulcers or injurious patient falls.
AHRQ-funded; HS020627
Citation: Waters TM, Daniels MJ, Bazzoli GJ .
Effect of Medicare's nonpayment for hospital-acquired conditions: lessons for future policy.
JAMA Intern Med. 2015 Mar;175(3):347-54. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.5486..
Keywords: Quality of Care, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Medicare, Patient Safety
Calderwood MS, Kleinman K, Bratzler DW
Medicare claims can be used to identify US hospitals with higher rates of surgical site infection following vascular surgery.
This study found that among Medicare patients who underwent vascular surgery at 2,512 U.S. hospitals, a patient undergoing surgery in a hospital ranked in the worst-performing decile based on claims had a 2.5 times greater likelihood of developing a chart-confirmed surgical site infection relative to a patient characteristics in a hospital in the best-performing decile.
AHRQ-funded; HS018878
Citation: Calderwood MS, Kleinman K, Bratzler DW .
Medicare claims can be used to identify US hospitals with higher rates of surgical site infection following vascular surgery.
Med Care. 2014 Oct;52(10):918-25. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000000212..
Keywords: Medicare, Surgery, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Patient Safety, Hospitals, Adverse Events
Eckenrode S, Bakullari A, Metersky ML
The association between age, sex, and hospital-acquired infection rates: results from the 2009-2011 National Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System.
The researchers, using six different measures of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), analyzed data from a large national sample of patients admitted to the hospital with acute cardiovascular disease, pneumonia, and major surgery to determine to determine age- and sex-related differences in HAI rates. They found that there are no simple ways to focus HAI-prevention efforts based solely on age or sex.
AHRQ-funded; 290201200003C
Citation: Eckenrode S, Bakullari A, Metersky ML .
The association between age, sex, and hospital-acquired infection rates: results from the 2009-2011 National Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2014 Oct;35 Suppl 3:S3-9. doi: 10.1086/677831..
Keywords: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Patient Safety, Medicare, Critical Care