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
26 to 46 of 46 Research Studies DisplayedHeintzman J, Marino M, Clark K
Using electronic health record data to study Latino immigrant populations in health services research.
The purpose of this study was to validate an electronic health record (EHR)-based algorithm that could serve as a safe proxy for self-reported immigration status for health services researchers. Researchers developed an EHR algorithm to classify a population of patients as likely undocumented or recent Latino immigrants and validated this algorithm by conducting semi-structured interviews of staff. They concluded that the EHR has potential for studying immigration status in health services research, although more study is needed to determine the accuracy and utility of EHRs for this purpose.
AHRQ-funded; HS021522.
Citation: Heintzman J, Marino M, Clark K .
Using electronic health record data to study Latino immigrant populations in health services research.
J Immigr Minor Health 2020 Aug;22(4):754-61. doi: 10.1007/s10903-019-00925-2..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Health Services Research (HSR)
Brach C, Borsky A
AHRQ Author: Brach C, Borsky A
How the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality promotes health literate health care.
This AHRQ-authored study traces the history of the AHRQ Health Literacy Action Plan to promote health literate health care delivery systems. This Plan has been developed and implemented for almost 15 years and serves as the framework for AHRQ’s efforts to 1) Develop measures; 2) Improve the evidence base and create implementation tools; 3) Create and support change; 4) Disseminate and transfer knowledge and tools; and 5) Practice what we preach.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Brach C, Borsky A .
How the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality promotes health literate health care.
Stud Health Technol Inform 2020 Jun 25;269:313-23. doi: 10.3233/shti200046..
Keywords: Health Literacy, Healthcare Delivery, Health Services Research (HSR), Implementation
Di Tosto G, McAlearney AS, Fareed N
Metrics for outpatient portal use based on log file analysis: algorithm development.
This study’s goal was to document the functionality of an outpatient portal in the context of outpatient care by mining portal usage data and to provide insights into how patients use this tool. The authors developed a taxonomy of functions and actions and computed analytic metrics, including frequency and comprehensiveness of use. They found that function use was comprehensive at the patient level, while each session was instead limited to the use of one specific function. They hope to promote the replicability of their study at other institutions and to contribute to the establishment of best practices that can facilitate the adoption of behavioral metrics that enable the measurement of patient engagement based on the outpatient portal use.
AHRQ-funded; HS024091; HS024349; HS024379.
Citation: Di Tosto G, McAlearney AS, Fareed N .
Metrics for outpatient portal use based on log file analysis: algorithm development.
J Med Internet Res 2020 Jun 12;22(6):e16849. doi: 10.2196/16849..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Health Services Research (HSR), Research Methodologies
Hodgkin D, Moscarelli M, Rupp A
AHRQ Author: Zuvekas SH
Mental health economics: bridging research, practice and policy.
The authors discuss the past and current work of the World Psychiatric Association Section on Mental Health Economics. They conclude with stating that The Section strives for excellence in mental health economics research and education to promote the mission and fulfill the goals of the World Psychiatric Association.
Citation: Hodgkin D, Moscarelli M, Rupp A .
Mental health economics: bridging research, practice and policy.
World Psychiatry 2020 Jun;19(2):258-59. doi: 10.1002/wps.20753..
Keywords: Behavioral Health, Healthcare Costs, Health Services Research (HSR), Policy
Weng Y, Tian L, Tedesco D
Trajectory analysis for postoperative pain using electronic health records: a nonparametric method with robust linear regression and K-medians cluster analysis.
Postoperative pain scores are widely monitored and collected in the electronic health record, yet current methods fail to fully leverage the data with fast implementation. This article describes a trajectory analysis for postoperative pain using electronic health records. A robust linear regression was fitted to describe the association between the log-scaled pain score and time from discharge after total knee replacement.
AHRQ-funded; HS024096.
Citation: Weng Y, Tian L, Tedesco D .
Trajectory analysis for postoperative pain using electronic health records: a nonparametric method with robust linear regression and K-medians cluster analysis.
Health Informatics J 2020 Jun;26(2):1404-18. doi: 10.1177/1460458219881339..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Pain, Surgery, Orthopedics, Research Methodologies, Health Services Research (HSR)
Gernant SA, Adeoye-Olatunde OA, Murawski MM
Experiences applying technology to overcome common challenges in pharmacy practice-based research in the United States.
Despite the importance of pharmacy practice-based research in generating knowledge that results in better outcomes for patients, health systems and society alike, common challenges to PPBR persist. In this paper, the authors described PPBR challenges their research teams have encountered, and their experiences using technology-driven solutions to overcome such challenges. The authors describe the technology driven solutions they have used to address PPBR challenges.
AHRQ-funded; HS025943.
Citation: Gernant SA, Adeoye-Olatunde OA, Murawski MM .
Experiences applying technology to overcome common challenges in pharmacy practice-based research in the United States.
Pharmacy 2020 May 30;8(2):93. doi: 10.3390/pharmacy8020093..
Keywords: Provider: Pharmacist, Provider, Health Information Technology (HIT), Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice, Health Services Research (HSR)
Tsou AY, Treadwell JR, Erinoff E
Machine learning for screening prioritization in systematic reviews: comparative performance of Abstrackr and EPPI-Reviewer.
Improving the speed of systematic review (SR) development is key to supporting evidence-based medicine. Machine learning tools which semi-automate citation screening might improve efficiency. Few studies have assessed use of screening prioritization functionality or compared two tools head to head. In this project, the investigators compared performance of two machine-learning tools for potential use in citation screening.
AHRQ-funded; HS025859.
Citation: Tsou AY, Treadwell JR, Erinoff E .
Machine learning for screening prioritization in systematic reviews: comparative performance of Abstrackr and EPPI-Reviewer.
Syst Rev 2020 Apr 2;9(1):73. doi: 10.1186/s13643-020-01324-7..
Keywords: Health Services Research (HSR), Research Methodologies, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Manojlovich M, Bedard L, Griggs JJ
Facilitators and barriers to recruiting ambulatory oncology practices into a large multisite study: mixed methods study.
The authors of this article aimed to describe the facilitators and barriers to recruiting ambulatory oncology practices into a large multisite study. They used a mixed methods design and 4 domains of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to describe facilitators and barriers to recruitment. They identified numerous recruitment barriers and facilitators and devised strategies to enhance recruitment efforts. They concluded that researchers and clinicians can partner effectively to design and implement research protocols that ultimately benefit patients who are increasingly seeking care in ambulatory practices.
AHRQ-funded; HS024914.
Citation: Manojlovich M, Bedard L, Griggs JJ .
Facilitators and barriers to recruiting ambulatory oncology practices into a large multisite study: mixed methods study.
JMIR Cancer 2020 Apr 20;6(1):e14476. doi: 10.2196/14476..
Keywords: Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Health Services Research (HSR), Research Methodologies
Bucholz EM, Toomey SL, Butala NM
Suitability of elderly adult hospital readmission rates for profiling readmissions in younger adult and pediatric populations.
Investigators sought to determine the correlation between hospital 30-day risk-standardized readmission rates in elderly adults and those in nonelderly adults and children. Data from U.S. hospitals in the 2013-2014 Nationwide Readmissions Database were used. The researchers found that hospital readmission rates in elderly adults may reflect broader hospital readmission performance in middle-aged and young adult populations, but they are not reflective of hospital performance in pediatric populations.
AHRQ-funded; HS020513; HS025299.
Citation: Bucholz EM, Toomey SL, Butala NM .
Suitability of elderly adult hospital readmission rates for profiling readmissions in younger adult and pediatric populations.
Health Serv Res 2020 Apr;55(2):277-87. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13269..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Hospital Readmissions, Health Services Research (HSR), Research Methodologies, Children/Adolescents
Smith JD, Rafferty MR, Heinemann AW
Pragmatic adaptation of implementation research measures for a novel context and multiple professional roles: a factor analysis study.
In this study, the investigators examined the internal consistency, factor structure, and structural invariance of four well-validated measures of inner setting factors across four groups of respondents. The items in these measures were adapted as part of an evaluation of a large-scale organizational change in a rehabilitation hospital, which involved transitioning to a new building and a new model of patient care, facilitated by a significant redesign of patient care and research spaces.
AHRQ-funded; HS025077.
Citation: Smith JD, Rafferty MR, Heinemann AW .
Pragmatic adaptation of implementation research measures for a novel context and multiple professional roles: a factor analysis study.
BMC Health Serv Res 2020 Mar 30;20(1):257. doi: 10.1186/s12913-020-05118-4..
Keywords: Implementation, Health Services Research (HSR), Organizational Change
Beam DM, Brown J, Kaji AH
Evolution of the Strategies to Innovate Emergency Care Clinical Trials Network (SIREN).
This article describes SIREN, the Strategies to Innovate Emergency Care Clinical Trials Network. The authors conclude that, through a strong collaborative research network, SIREN offers the opportunity to significantly enhance emergency care research with the aim of improvement in patient outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS023901.
Citation: Beam DM, Brown J, Kaji AH .
Evolution of the Strategies to Innovate Emergency Care Clinical Trials Network (SIREN).
Ann Emerg Med 2020 Mar;75(3):400-07. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2019.07.029..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Health Services Research (HSR), Research Methodologies
Munger Clary HM, Croxton RD, Allan J
Who is willing to participate in research? A screening model for an anxiety and depression trial in the epilepsy clinic.
This study assessed the willingness of epilepsy patients positively screened for anxiety and/or depression to participate in a research study. A total of 199 patients screened positively during a routine epilepsy screening visit and 154 (77.4%) opted-in for further research assessment. Nearly half of those 199 individuals were already being treated for anxiety and/or depression, with 46.7% receiving neither antidepressants or therapy. Higher depression scores and current treatment were independently associated with opting in. One-quarter reported a past psychiatric hospitalization, but only half of those individuals were currently receiving mental health specialty care.
AHRQ-funded; HS025723.
Citation: Munger Clary HM, Croxton RD, Allan J .
Who is willing to participate in research? A screening model for an anxiety and depression trial in the epilepsy clinic.
Epilepsy Behav 2020 Mar;104(Pt A):106907. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2020.106907..
Keywords: Anxiety, Depression, Behavioral Health, Neurological Disorders, Chronic Conditions, Screening, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Health Services Research (HSR), Research Methodologies
Massarweh NN, LeMaire SA, Merkow RP
Preserving an academic mission in the face of clinical productivity targets: where is the academic surgeon's carrot?
This article discusses the emphasis on financial productivity at academic institutions and how it does and will impact the educational and research missions of academic departments and their faculty. Discussions include potential consequences and potential solutions, concluding that academic surgery departments, hospitals, and health systems should work collaboratively toward the common goal of supporting a unified mission of innovation, creativity, and clinical excellence.
AHRQ-funded; HS023011.
Citation: Massarweh NN, LeMaire SA, Merkow RP .
Preserving an academic mission in the face of clinical productivity targets: where is the academic surgeon's carrot?
Ann Surg 2020 Feb;271(2):223-24. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000003380..
Keywords: Education: Academic, Health Services Research (HSR)
Takvorian SU, Oganisian A, Mamtani R
Association of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act with insurance status, cancer stage, and timely treatment among patients with breast, colon, and lung cancer.
The effect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion on cancer care delivery and outcomes is unknown. Patients with cancer are a high-risk group for whom treatment delays are particularly detrimental. The objective of this study was to examine the association between Medicaid expansion and changes in insurance status, stage at diagnosis, and timely treatment among patients with incident breast, colon, and non-small cell lung cancer.
AHRQ-funded; HS026116.
Citation: Takvorian SU, Oganisian A, Mamtani R .
Association of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act with insurance status, cancer stage, and timely treatment among patients with breast, colon, and lung cancer.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Feb 5;3(2):e1921653. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.21653.
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Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Cancer: Lung Cancer, Cancer, Health Insurance, Medicaid, Policy, Health Services Research (HSR)
Murray GF, Rodriguez HP, Lewis VA
Upstream with a small paddle: how ACOs are working against the current to meet patients' social needs.
This study’s goal was to understand how health care providers with strong motivation and commitment fared at addressing patients' social needs. Researchers found that the 22 accountable care organizations studied were frequently lacking data on both their patients' social needs and the capabilities of potential community partners. Additionally, partnerships between accountable care organizations and community-based organizations were only in the early stages of development. The researchers concluded that policies that could facilitate the integration of social determinants included providing sustainable funding, implementing local and regional networking initiatives to facilitate partnership development, and developing standardized data on community-based organizations' services and quality to aid providers that seek partners.
AHRQ-funded; HS024792.
Citation: Murray GF, Rodriguez HP, Lewis VA .
Upstream with a small paddle: how ACOs are working against the current to meet patients' social needs.
Health Aff 2020 Feb;39(2):199-206. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2019.01266..
Keywords: Social Determinants of Health, Health Services Research (HSR)
Michelson KA, Nigrovic LE, Nagler J
Research interest in pediatric emergency medicine fellows.
The authors sought to determine the prevalence and determinants of interest in research careers among pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellows. They performed an electronically distributed national survey of current PEM fellows, assessing demographics, barriers to successful research, and beliefs about research using 4-point ordinal scales. The authors found that most fellows expect to devote a minority of their career to clinical research. Enthusiasm about research was strongly correlated with career research interest.
AHRQ-funded; HS000063.
Citation: Michelson KA, Nigrovic LE, Nagler J .
Research interest in pediatric emergency medicine fellows.
Pediatr Emerg Care 2020 Feb;36(2):e38-e42. doi: 10.1097/pec.0000000000001085..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Children/Adolescents, Health Services Research (HSR), Provider: Physician, Provider, Education: Continuing Medical Education
Squires A, Sadarangani T, Jones S
Strategies for overcoming language barriers in research.
This study synthesized methodological recommendations for cross-language research studies with the goal to improve the quality of future research and expand the evidence-base for clinical practice. Clear methodological recommendations were generated that can improve research rigor and quality of cross-language qualitative and quantitative studies. The authors suggest that the recommendations generated in their paper have the potential to have an impact on the health and well-being of migrants around the world.
AHRQ-funded; HS023593.
Citation: Squires A, Sadarangani T, Jones S .
Strategies for overcoming language barriers in research.
J Adv Nurs 2020 Feb;76(2):706-14. doi: 10.1111/jan.14007..
Keywords: Health Services Research (HSR), Research Methodologies, Communication, Cultural Competence
Adler-Milstein J, Adelman JS, Tai-Seale M
EHR audit logs: a new goldmine for health services research?
This article discusses the possible usefulness of electronic health record (EHR) audit log data to support health services research and for those studying healthcare processes and outcomes. The authors offer a framework for the potential uses in quality domains as defined by the National Academy of Medicine. The article also discusses challenges of working with audit log data.
AHRQ-funded; HS022670; HS023704; HS024538; HS019167.
Citation: Adler-Milstein J, Adelman JS, Tai-Seale M .
EHR audit logs: a new goldmine for health services research?
J Biomed Inform 2020 Jan;101:103343. doi: 10.1016/j.jbi.2019.103343..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Health Services Research (HSR)
Keeney T, Belanger E, Jones RN
High-need phenotypes in Medicare beneficiaries: drivers of variation in utilization and outcomes.
The goal of this study was to identify distinct clinical phenotypes present within high-need Medicare beneficiaries and to examine differences in outcomes between phenotypes. Researchers identified five phenotypes and concluded that their findings represented a first step toward classifying the heterogeneity among high-need Medicare beneficiaries. They recommend further work to identify modifiable utilization patterns between phenotypes to improve the value of healthcare provided to these subpopulations.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Keeney T, Belanger E, Jones RN .
High-need phenotypes in Medicare beneficiaries: drivers of variation in utilization and outcomes.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2020 Jan;68(1):70-77. doi: 10.1111/jgs.16146..
Keywords: Medicare, Research Methodologies, Outcomes, Health Services Research (HSR)
Holden RJ, Cornet VP, Valdez RS
Patient ergonomics: 10-year mapping review of patient-centered human factors.
The authors performed a mapping review of 212 full-text patient ergonomics publications in two conference proceedings, 2007-2017. They found gaps deserving future research, including research with understudied populations and marginalized populations; on topics such as health promotion and transitions of care; and using longitudinal and experimental study designs. They recommended more focused reviews, new primary research, and developing a roadmap for future patient ergonomics research.
AHRQ-funded; HS025232.
Citation: Holden RJ, Cornet VP, Valdez RS .
Patient ergonomics: 10-year mapping review of patient-centered human factors.
Appl Ergon 2020 Jan;82:102972. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2019.102972.
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Keywords: Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient and Family Engagement, Health Services Research (HSR)
Kirby JB, Yabroff KR
AHRQ Author: Kirby JB
Rural-urban differences in access to primary care: beyond the usual source of care provider.
This study used 2014-2016 MEPS data to analyze differences between rural and urban areas to primary care access beyond the usual source of care provider. While rural residents were more likely to have a usual source of care, they were less likely to have a provider with office hours on nights and weekends.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Kirby JB, Yabroff KR .
Rural-urban differences in access to primary care: beyond the usual source of care provider.
Am J Prev Med 2020 Jan;58(1):89-96. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2019.08.026..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Access to Care, Primary Care, Rural Health, Urban Health, Health Services Research (HSR)