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 552 Research Studies DisplayedWatnick S, Blake PG, Mehrotra R
System-level strategies to improve home dialysis: policy levers and quality initiatives.
This article discusses trends in home dialysis use, reviews the evolving understanding of what constitutes high quality care for the home dialysis population (as well as how this can be measured), and discusses policy and advocacy efforts that continue to shape the care of US patients, and compares with experiences in other countries. The authors conclude by discussing future directions for quality and advocacy efforts.
AHRQ-funded; HS028684.
Citation: Watnick S, Blake PG, Mehrotra R .
System-level strategies to improve home dialysis: policy levers and quality initiatives.
Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2023 Dec; 18(12):1616-25. doi: 10.2215/cjn.0000000000000299..
Keywords: Home Healthcare, Kidney Disease and Health, Policy, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Bingham CA, Harris JG, Qui T
Pediatric Rheumatology Care and Outcomes Improvement Network's quality measure set to improve care of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
The objective of this study was to describe the selection, development, and implementation of quality measures for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) by the Pediatric Rheumatology Care and Outcomes Improvement Network (PR-COIN), a multihospital learning health network. Clinicians in PR-COIN and parents of children with JIA collaboratively selected outcome quality measures and a committee of rheumatologists and data analysts developed operational definitions. Initial measures were clinical inactive disease, low pain score, and optimal physical functioning; the revised set included additional measures of disease activity, data quality, and a balancing measure. The authors concluded that PR-COIN's set of JIA quality measures is the first comprehensive set used at the point-of-care for a large cohort of JIA patients in a variety of pediatric rheumatology practice settings.
AHRQ-funded; HS021114.
Citation: Bingham CA, Harris JG, Qui T .
Pediatric Rheumatology Care and Outcomes Improvement Network's quality measure set to improve care of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
Arthritis Care Res 2023 Dec; 75(12):2442-52. doi: 10.1002/acr.25168.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Arthritis, Quality Measures, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice
Goldberg DG, Owens-Jasey C, Haghighat S
Implementation strategies for large scale quality improvement initiatives in primary care settings: a qualitative assessment.
This study focused on gaining a comprehensive understanding of perspectives from research participants and research team members on the value of implementation strategies and factors that influenced the AHRQ-funded EvidenceNOW initiative in Virginia. The goal of EvidenceNOW’s Advancing Heart Health in Primary Care initiative is to assist primary care practices in the US in implementing evidence-based practices in cardiovascular care and building capacity for quality improvement. In 2018, the authors conducted 25 focus groups with clinicians and staff at participating practices, including 80 physicians, advanced practice clinicians, practice managers, and other practice staff. They also conducted face-to-face and telephone interviews with 22 research team members, including lead investigators, practice facilitators, physician expert consultants, and evaluators. They used the integrated-Promoting Action on Research Implementation in the Health Services (i-PARIHS) framework in their qualitative data analysis and organization of themes. Implementation strategies that were valued by both practice representatives and research team members included the kick-off event, on-site practice facilitation, and interaction with physician expert consults. Day-to-day activities often overwhelmed clinicians and staff, which hindered their ability to fully participate in the EvidenceNOW initiative.
AHRQ-funded; HS023913.
Citation: Goldberg DG, Owens-Jasey C, Haghighat S .
Implementation strategies for large scale quality improvement initiatives in primary care settings: a qualitative assessment.
BMC Prim Care 2023 Nov 17; 24(1):242. doi: 10.1186/s12875-023-02200-8..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Primary Care, Quality of Care, Implementation
Chen VW, Chidi AP, Dong Y
Risk-adjusted cumulative sum for early detection of hospitals with excess perioperative mortality.
This study’s goal was to compare the risk-adjusted cumulative sum (CUSUM) with episodic evaluation for early detection of hospitals with excess perioperative mortality. The study cohort included 697,566 patients treated at 104 Veterans’ Affairs hospitals across 24 quarters with a mean age of 60.9 years and 91.4% male. These patients underwent a noncardiac operation at a Veterans Affairs hospital, had a record in the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (January 1, 2011, through December 31, 2016), and were aged 18 years or older. For each hospital, the median number of quarters detected with observed to expected ratios, at least 1 CUSUM signal, and more than 1 CUSUM signal was 2 quarters (IQR, 1-4 quarters), 8 quarters (IQR, 4-11 quarters), and 3 quarters (IQR, 1-4 quarters). Outlier hospitals were identified 33.3% of the time (830 quarters) with at least 1 CUSUM signal within a quarter, 12.5% (311 quarters) with more than 1 CUSUM signal, and 11.0% (274 quarters) with observed to expected ratios at the end of the quarter. The CUSUM detection occurred a median of 49 days (IQR, 25-63 days) before observed to expected ratio reporting (1 signal, 35 days [IQR, 17-54 days]; 2 signals, 49 days [IQR, 26-61 days]; 3 signals, 58 days [IQR, 44-69 days]; ≥4 signals, 49 days [IQR, 42-69 days]. Of 274 hospital quarters detected with observed to expected ratios, 72.6% were concurrently detected by at least 1 CUSUM signal vs 42.7% by more than 1 CUSUM signal. There was a dose-response relationship between the number of CUSUM signals in a quarter and the median observed to expected ratio (0 signals, 0.63; 1 signal, 1.28; 2 signals, 1.58; 3 signals, 2.08; ≥4 signals, 2.49).
AHRQ-funded; HS013853.
Citation: Chen VW, Chidi AP, Dong Y .
Risk-adjusted cumulative sum for early detection of hospitals with excess perioperative mortality.
JAMA Surg 2023 Nov; 158(11):1176-83. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2023.3673..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Surgery, Hospitals, Patient Safety, Mortality, Quality of Care
Woods-Hill CZ, Koontz DW, Colantuoni EA
Sustainability of the Bright STAR diagnostic stewardship program to reduce blood culture rates among critically ill children.
From 2017 to2020, 14 pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) participated in the Bright STAR (Testing Stewardship for Antibiotic Reduction) QI collaborative to reduce unnecessary blood cultures for PICU patients. The collaborative project found that 4 sites demonstrated a 33% decrease in blood culture rates and a 13% decrease in broad spectrum antibiotic use. The purpose of this current study was to assess whether sites sustained reduced blood culture rates after completion of the formal project. The study found that all sites had lower blood culture rates during the sustainability period when compared with the pre-implementation period. The blood culture rate increased 8% during the sustainability period compared with the postimplementation period but was 27% lower than during the pre-implementation period.
AHRQ-funded; HS025642.
Citation: Woods-Hill CZ, Koontz DW, Colantuoni EA .
Sustainability of the Bright STAR diagnostic stewardship program to reduce blood culture rates among critically ill children.
JAMA Pediatr 2023 Nov; 177(11):1234-37. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.3229..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Quality Improvement, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Quality of Care
Agniel D, Cabreros I, Damberg CL
A formal framework for incorporating equity into health care quality measurement.
This paper examines how tying incentives on the basis of stratification or disparities in quality measurement may have unintended consequences or limited effects. Addressing one aspect of equity may be in competition with addressing others. The authors proposed equity weighting, a new measurement framework to advance equity on multiple fronts that addresses the shortcomings of existing approaches and explicitly calibrates incentives to align with equity goals. They used colorectal cancer screening data derived from 2017 Medicare claims to illustrate how equity weighting fixes unintended consequences in other methods and how it can be adapted to policy goals.
AHRQ-funded; HS024067.
Citation: Agniel D, Cabreros I, Damberg CL .
A formal framework for incorporating equity into health care quality measurement.
Health Aff 2023 Oct; 42(10):1383-91. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2022.01483..
Keywords: Quality Measures, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Disparities
Xie A, Koontz DW, Colantuoni EA
Application of participatory ergonomics to the dissemination of a quality improvement program for optimizing blood culture use.
The overuse of blood cultures in pediatric ICUs (PICUs) may lead to the unnecessary utilization of antibiotics and related resistance to antibiotics. The purpose of this study was to utilize a participatory ergonomics (PE) approach to disseminate a quality improvement (QI) program for optimizing blood culture use in PICUs and assess the dissemination process and its impact on blood culture reduction. The study found that overall, the participating sites were able to implement the program successfully and reduce their blood culture rates from 149.4 blood cultures per 1,000 patient-days/month before implementation to 100.5 blood cultures per 1,000 patient-days/month after implementation. Differences in the dissemination process, as well as in local interventions and implementation strategies, were observed across sites. Site-specific variations in the rates of blood cultures were weakly negatively associated with the number of preintervention interactions with the coordinating team but not associated with their experiences with the six domains of the dissemination process or their interventions.
AHRQ-funded; HS025642; HS025238.
Citation: Xie A, Koontz DW, Colantuoni EA .
Application of participatory ergonomics to the dissemination of a quality improvement program for optimizing blood culture use.
Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2023 Oct; 49(10):529-38. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2023.06.004..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
McHugh 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
Waltman A, Konetzka RT, Chia S
Effectiveness of a bundled payments for care improvement program for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
This single-site retrospective observational study evaluated the impact of an evidence-based transitions of care program on episode costs and readmission rates, comparing patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbations who received versus those who did not receive the intervention. Between October 2015 and September 2018, 132 received and 161 did not receive the program. Below target mean episode costs were found for six out of eleven quarters for the intervention group, as opposed to only one out of twelve quarters for the control group. Overall, there were non-significant mean savings of $2551 in episode costs relative to target costs for the intervention group, though results varied by index admission diagnosis-related group (DRG). There were additional costs of $4184 per episode for the least-complicated cohort (DRG 192), but savings of $1897 and $1753 for the most complicated index admissions (DRGs 191 and 190, respectively). A significant mean decrease of 0.24 readmissions per episode for intervention was observed in 90-day readmission rates relative to control. Skilled nursing facility readmissions and hospital discharges were factors of higher costs (mean increases of $9098 and $17,095 per episode respectively).
AHRQ-funded; HS027804.
Citation: Waltman A, Konetzka RT, Chia S .
Effectiveness of a bundled payments for care improvement program for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
J Gen Intern Med 2023 Sep; 38(12):2662-70. doi: 10.1007/s11606-023-08249-6..
Keywords: Respiratory Conditions, Chronic Conditions, Payment, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Schnipper JL, Reyes Nieva H, Yoon C
What works in medication reconciliation: an on-treatment and site analysis of the MARQUIS2 study.
The objective of this study was to assess the association of patient exposure to system-level intervention and receipt based on the results of the second Multicenter Medication Reconciliation Quality Improvement Study, which demonstrated a marked reduction in medication discrepancies per patient. Researchers conducted an on-treatment analysis of system-level interventions at 17 North American hospitals. The patient-level interventions most associated with discrepancy reductions were receipt of a best-possible medication history of admitted patients in the ED and admission and discharge medication reconciliation by a trained clinician. System-level interventions were also associated with a minor reduction in discrepancies for the average patient. The researchers concluded that these findings might be used to help hospitals and health systems prioritize interventions to improve medication safety during care transitions.
AHRQ-funded; HS023757.
Citation: Schnipper JL, Reyes Nieva H, Yoon C .
What works in medication reconciliation: an on-treatment and site analysis of the MARQUIS2 study.
BMJ Qual Saf 2023 Aug; 32(8):457-69. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2022-014806..
Keywords: Medication, Medication: Safety, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Patient Safety, Hospital Discharge
Silver CM, Yang AD, Shan Y
Changes in surgical outcomes in a Statewide Quality Improvement Collaborative with introduction of simultaneous, comprehensive interventions.
Researchers investigated whether a comprehensive quality improvement program implemented simultaneously across hospitals at the formation of a quality improvement collaborative (QIC) would improve patient outcomes. They analyzed risk-adjusted rates of postoperative morbidity and mortality for patients who had undergone surgery at hospitals in the Illinois Surgical Quality Improvement Collaborative (ISQIC); analyses compared ISQIC hospitals with hospitals in the NSQIP Participant Use File (PUF). Although complication rates decreased at both ISQIC and PUF hospitals, findings showed that participation in ISQIC was associated with a significantly greater improvement in death or serious morbidity. The researchers concluded that these results emphasize the potential of QICs to improve patient outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS024516.
Citation: Silver CM, Yang AD, Shan Y .
Changes in surgical outcomes in a Statewide Quality Improvement Collaborative with introduction of simultaneous, comprehensive interventions.
J Am Coll Surg 2023 Jul 1; 237(1):128-38. doi: 10.1097/xcs.0000000000000679..
Keywords: Surgery, Outcomes, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Hospitals
Smith DC, Phillippi JC, Tilden EL
Comparing cesarean birth utilization between US hospitals: a demonstration of the robson ten-group classification system for use in quality improvement and benchmarking.
The objective of this study was to describe the application and utility of the World Health Organization-endorsed Robson Ten-Group Classification System (TGCS) to compare hospital-level cesarean births rates for use in quality improvement and benchmarking. The authors conducted a descriptive, secondary data analysis of the Consortium on Safe Labor dataset using data from births from 2002-08 at 12 sites across the US. Results showed a variation in use of cesarean birth, labor induction, and trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) across the 12 sites. The authors concluded that TGCS provides a method for between-hospital comparisons and adoption of TGCS in the US would provide an effective benchmarking tool to assist in reducing the use of cesarean birth and increasing the support of TOLAC.
AHRQ-funded; HS024733.
Citation: Smith DC, Phillippi JC, Tilden EL .
Comparing cesarean birth utilization between US hospitals: a demonstration of the robson ten-group classification system for use in quality improvement and benchmarking.
J Perinat Neonatal Nurs 2023 Jul-Sep; 37(3):214-22. doi: 10.1097/jpn.0000000000000670..
Keywords: Hospitals, Healthcare Utilization, Maternal Care, Women, Quality Improvement, Quality Measures, Quality of Care
Hoffman JA, Pergjika A, Liu L
Standardizing and improving care for pediatric agitation management in the emergency department.
In the U.S., pediatric mental health emergency department (ED) visits are increasing, with a greater number of visits involving the prescription of medication for acute agitation. Well timed, consistent application of behavioral strategies and medications may decrease the need for physical restraint of pediatric patients. The purpose of this study was to standardize agitation management in a pediatric ED and decrease pediatric patient time in physical restraints. From September 2020 to August 2021, researchers implemented a quality improvement initiative followed by a 6-month maintenance period. A barrier evaluation discovered that agitation triggers were not adequately recognized, there were few activities provided for children during lengthy ED visits, ED staff did not have confidence in techniques for verbally deescalating events, choices for medication were not consistent, and medication administered took time to take effect. Consecutive interventions included the development of a pathway and order set for agitation care, optimization of workflows for child life and psychiatry, implementation of personalized de-escalation plans, and adding the medication droperidol to the ED formulary. The measures utilize din the study included standardization of medication choice for severe agitation and time in physical restraints. The study found that during the intervention and maintenance components, there were 129 ED visits with medication administered for severe agitation and 10 ED visits where physical restraints were used. Among ED visits with medication given for severe agitation, there was an increase from 8% to 88% in standardized medication choice (olanzapine or droperidol), and a decrease in mean minutes in physical restraints from 173 to 71.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Hoffman JA, Pergjika A, Liu L .
Standardizing and improving care for pediatric agitation management in the emergency department.
Pediatrics 2023 Jul 1; 152(1). doi: 10.1542/peds.2022-059586..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Behavioral Health, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Stierman EK, O'Brien BT, Stagg J
AHRQ Author: Fabiyi CA, Chew E, Harding B, Mistry KB
Statewide perinatal quality improvement, teamwork, and communication activities in Oklahoma and Texas.
The objective of this study was to describe perinatal quality improvement activities, specifically the implementation of Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) patient safety bundles and use of teamwork and communication tools in obstetric units. Researchers conducted a survey of AIM-enrolled hospitals in Oklahoma and Texas and gathered data on obstetric unit organization and QI processes. Their findings showed that adoption of QI processes varied and also highlighted the need to reinforce support for rural obstetric units, which often face greater barriers to implementing patient safety and QI processes than urban units. The researchers concluded that this has implications for implementing future perinatal QI initiatives.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 233201500020I.
Citation: Stierman EK, O'Brien BT, Stagg J .
Statewide perinatal quality improvement, teamwork, and communication activities in Oklahoma and Texas.
Qual Manag Health Care 2023 Jul-Sep; 32(3):177-88. doi: 10.1097/qmh.0000000000000407..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Teams, Communication, Maternal Care, Quality of Care
Griesemer I, Birken SA, Rini C
Mechanisms to enhance racial equity in health care: developing a model to facilitate translation of the ACCURE intervention.
The purpose of this study was to explore the Accountability for Cancer Care through Undoing Racism and Equity (ACCURE) program, which altered systems of care at two United States cancer centers and eliminated the Black-White racial disparity in treatment completion in patients with early-stage breast and lung cancer. The study objective was to identify and document critical characteristics of ACCURE to enable translation of the intervention to other care settings. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 participants who were involved in the design and implementation of ACCURE. The study found that participants described transparency and accountability as mechanisms of change that were operationalized through ACCURE's key features. Intervention features were designed to improve either institutional transparency or accountability of the care system to community values and patient needs for minimally biased, tailored communication, and support.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Griesemer I, Birken SA, Rini C .
Mechanisms to enhance racial equity in health care: developing a model to facilitate translation of the ACCURE intervention.
SSM Qual Res Health 2023 Jun; 3:100204. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100204..
Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Lindner SR, Balasubramanian B, Marino M
Estimating the cardiovascular disease risk reduction of a quality improvement initiative in primary care: findings from EvidenceNOW.
The purpose of this study was to estimate decreases in 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk associated with EvidenceNOW, an initiative spanning multiple states that sought to improve cardiovascular preventive care by providing supportive interventions such as practice facilitation to address the “ABCS”: (A)spirin for high-risk patients, (B)lood pressure control for hypertensive people, (C)holesterol management, and (S)moking screening and cessation counseling. The researchers conducted an analytic modeling study that combined 1) data from 1,278 EvidenceNOW practices collected from 2015 to 2017; (2) patient-level information of 1,295 individuals who participated in the 2015 to 2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; and (3) 10-year ASCVD risk prediction equations. The study found the average 10-year ASCVD risk of these patients before intervention was 10.11%. Improvements in ABCS due to EvidenceNOW reduced their 10-year ASCVD risk to 10.03% which would prevent 3,169 ASCVD events over 10 years and $150 million in 90-day direct medical costs.
AHRQ-funded; HS023940.
Citation: Lindner SR, Balasubramanian B, Marino M .
Estimating the cardiovascular disease risk reduction of a quality improvement initiative in primary care: findings from EvidenceNOW.
J Am Board Fam Med 2023 May 8; 36(3):462-76. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2022.220331R1..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Primary Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Blood Pressure
Quigley DD, Slaughter ME, Qureshi N
Associations of pediatric nurse burnout with involvement in quality improvement.
The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships of inpatient pediatric nurse burnout with their perceptions on the importance of quality at the hospital, and with patient experience measurement, quality improvement (QI), unit culture, and staffing. The researchers implemented a cross-sectional study at an urban children's hospital and surveyed pediatric nurses about their perceptions including the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The study found that 27% of pediatric nurses reported burnout. Nurses who possessed greater confidence in patient experience measurement, received frequent patient experience performance reports, felt included in QI, and experienced QI efforts as integrated into patient care reported not being burned out when compared to those reporting burnout. Higher levels of open communication among nurses and unit-level teamwork were also related with lack of burnout, and a higher QI workload was related with burnout.
AHRQ-funded; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Slaughter ME, Qureshi N .
Associations of pediatric nurse burnout with involvement in quality improvement.
J Pediatr Nurs 2023 May-Jun; 70:e9-e16. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2022.11.001..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Burnout, Provider: Nurse, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Chandanabhumma PP, Zhou S, Fetters MD
Expanding our methodological toolbox to improve quality: the role of mixed-methods evaluations.
This article discusses ways that using mixed-methods studies can enhance quality improvement interventions instead of relying solely on quantitative evidence. Mixed-methods design helped to advance an evidence-based, customizable infection prevention toolkit for durable left ventricular assist device therapy. Strengths of using mixed-methods studies include: (1) the use of qualitative research methodologies (eg, eliciting patient or clinician perspectives on barriers and facilitators of best practices) and (2) integrating qualitative and quantitative data and analyses to understand more fully effective strategies for achieving optimal care and outcomes for these patients across diverse settings. The study: 1) used quantitative clinical data merged with Medicare claims to evaluate interhospital variability in the incidence of infection; 2) used qualitative methods to understand local practice patterns across low- and high-performing centers; and 3) integrated both data sources to gain a comprehensive understanding of the overall findings.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Chandanabhumma PP, Zhou S, Fetters MD .
Expanding our methodological toolbox to improve quality: the role of mixed-methods evaluations.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2023 May; 16(5):e009629. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009629..
Keywords: Research Methodologies, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
McHugh M, Philbin S, Carroll AJ
An approach to evaluating multisector partnerships to support evidence-based quality improvement in primary care.
This study’s goal was to describe an approach for evaluating the development and effectiveness of a multisector partnership using data from the first year of the Healthy Hearts for Michigan (HH4M) Cooperative, a multisector partnership of nine organizations tasked with designing and implementing evidence-based QI strategies for hypertension management and tobacco cessation in 50 rural primary care practices. A 49-item survey focused on factors that facilitate or hinder multisector partnerships, drawing on implementation science and partnership, engagement, and collaboration research was developed. All 44 members of the HH4M Cooperative (79.5% response rate) were surveyed, interviews conducted with 14 members. Having a clear purpose and trust and respect among members were the strengths reported. A need for common terminology, clarification of roles and functions, and improvement in communication across workgroups were areas for improvement. The Cooperative’s biggest challenge was the lack of engagement from physician practices due to capacity constraints, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
AHRQ-funded; HS027954.
Citation: McHugh M, Philbin S, Carroll AJ .
An approach to evaluating multisector partnerships to support evidence-based quality improvement in primary care.
Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2023 Apr;49(4):199-206. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2023.01.002.
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Evidence-Based Practice, Primary Care, Quality of Care, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Bilimoria KY, McGee MF, Williams MV
Development of the Illinois Surgical Quality Improvement Collaborative (ISQIC): implementing 21 components to catalyze statewide improvement in surgical care.
In 2014, a distinctive learning collaborative was established by 56 hospitals in Illinois, known as the Illinois Surgical Quality Improvement Collaborative (ISQIC). The purpose of this study is to present an overview of ISQIC's initial three years, focusing on 1) the formation and financing of the collaborative, 2) the 21 approaches employed for quality improvement (QI) support, 3) maintaining the collaborative, and 4) ISQIC as a foundation for innovative QI research. ISQIC integrates 21 elements that promote QI, targeting the hospital, the surgical QI team, and the perioperative microsystem. These elements were derived from existing evidence, a comprehensive needs assessment of the hospitals, previous experiences from surgical and non-surgical QI collaboratives, and interviews with QI professionals. The elements span five domains: guided implementation (e.g., mentors, coaches, statewide QI projects), education (e.g., process improvement (PI) curriculum), comparative performance reports for hospitals and surgeons (e.g., process, outcomes, costs), networking (e.g., venues for sharing QI experiences and best practices), and financing (e.g., for the overall program, pilot grants, and incentive payments for improvement). The study found that the 21 unique ISQIC components enabled hospitals to utilize their data effectively for the implementation of QI initiatives and enhancement of care. Formal (QI/PI) training, mentorship, and coaching were provided to hospitals as they implemented solutions. Hospitals were funded for the program and collaborated on statewide quality initiatives. Knowledge gained in one hospital was disseminated to all participating hospitals through conferences, webinars, and toolkits, fostering a collective learning environment aimed at improving and ensuring safer care for surgical patients in Illinois. Over the first three years, surgical outcomes in Illinois showed improvement.
AHRQ-funded; HS024516
Citation: Bilimoria KY, McGee MF, Williams MV .
Development of the Illinois Surgical Quality Improvement Collaborative (ISQIC): implementing 21 components to catalyze statewide improvement in surgical care.
Ann Surg Open 2023 Mar;4(1):e258. doi: 10.1097/as9.0000000000000258.
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Surgery, Quality of Care
Ervin JN, Vitous CA, Wells EE
Rescue Improvement Conference: a novel tool for addressing failure to rescue.
The objective of this study was to understand the effectiveness of the Rescue Improvement Conference, a forum that addresses failure to rescue (FTR). FTR is the phenomenon where delayed recognition or response to surgical complications leads to a progressive cascade of adverse events culminating in patient death. The authors used 5 indicators of effectiveness: educational value, conference takeaways, discussion time, changes to surgical practice, and opportunities for improvement and conducted semi-structured interviews. The results showed that conference felt that the Rescue Improvement Conference was effective in all five indicators. The authors concluded that the conference has the potential to support other surgical departments in developing system-level strategies to recognize and manage postoperative complications that contribute to FTR.
AHRQ-funded; HS024403; HS023621.
Citation: Ervin JN, Vitous CA, Wells EE .
Rescue Improvement Conference: a novel tool for addressing failure to rescue.
Ann Surg 2023 Feb; 277(2):233-37. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000004832..
Keywords: Surgery, Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Quality of Care, Quality Improvement
Quigley DD, Quereshi N, Hays RD
Reasons primary care practices chose patient experience surveys during patient-centered medical home transformation.
This study’s objective was to identify reasons primary care practices chose to implement a patient experience survey during their patient-centered medical home transformation. The authors conducted interviews with a stratified-random sample of 105 of these practices. Fifty-one practices used a Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey and 53 administered another patient survey. The three most common reasons to use a survey were given as: (1) to compare performance against other practices, which requires systematically collected data across large numbers of practices (ie, the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey), (2) participation in an external patient-centered medical home program, and (3) survey administration cost. A second patient survey was used to identify quality improvement needs.
AHRQ-funded; HS016980; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Quereshi N, Hays RD .
Reasons primary care practices chose patient experience surveys during patient-centered medical home transformation.
J Ambul Care Manage 2023 Jan-Mar;46(1):34-44. doi: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000442.
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care, Quality Improvement, Practice Improvement
Liao JM, Wang E, Isidro U
The association between bundled payment participation and changes in medical episode outcomes among high-risk patients.
This research evaluated whether the association between participation in bundled payments for medical conditions and episode outcomes differed for clinically high-risk versus other patients in regard to length of stay (LOS) at skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Participants included 471,421 Medicare patients hospitalized at bundled payment and propensity-matched non-participating hospitals. Primary outcomes were SNF LOS and 90-day unplanned readmissions. SNF length of stay was differentially lower among frail patients, patients with advanced age (>85 years), and those with prior institutional post-acute care provider utilization compared to non-frail, younger, and patients without prior utilization, respectively. Bundled payment participation was also associated with differentially greater SNF LOS among disabled patients. It was not associated with differential changes in readmissions in any high-risk group but was associated with changes in quality, utilization, and spending measures for some groups.
AHRQ-funded; HS027595.
Citation: Liao JM, Wang E, Isidro U .
The association between bundled payment participation and changes in medical episode outcomes among high-risk patients.
Healthcare 2022 Dec 12; 10(12). doi: 10.3390/healthcare10122510..
Keywords: Payment, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Risk, Policy
Collins CR, Abel MK, Shui A
Preparing for participation in the centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' bundle care payment initiative-advanced for major bowel surgery.
This study aimed to assess where the largest opportunities for care improvement lay with the bundled payment reimbursement model and how best to identify patients at high risk of suffering costly complications, including hospital readmission. The authors used a cohort of patients from 2014 and 2016 who met inclusion criteria for the Major Bowel Bundled Payment Program and performed a cost analysis to identify opportunities for improved care efficiency. Using the results, they identified readmissions as a target for improvement and then assessed whether the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program surgical risk calculator (ACS NSQIP SRC) could accurately identify patients within the bundled payment population who were at high risk of readmission using a logistic regression model. Patients who were readmitted within 90-days post-surgery were 2.53 times more likely to be high-cost (>$60,000) then non-readmitted patients. However, the ACS NSQIP SRC did not accurately predict patients at high risk of readmission within the first 30 days post-surgery.
AHRQ-funded; HS024532.
Citation: Collins CR, Abel MK, Shui A .
Preparing for participation in the centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' bundle care payment initiative-advanced for major bowel surgery.
Perioper Med 2022 Dec 9;11(1):54. doi: 10.1186/s13741-022-00286-9..
Keywords: Provider Performance, Payment, Hospital Readmissions, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Surgery, Medicare, Medicaid
Bolte TB, Swanson MB, Kaldjian AM
Hospitals that report severe sepsis and septic shock bundle compliance have more structured sepsis performance improvement.
This study linked survey data on quality improvement (QI) practices from Iowa hospitals to severe sepsis/septic shock (SEP-1) performance data and mortality. All Iowa hospitals (100%) completed the survey. SEP-1 reporting hospitals were more likely to have sepsis QI practices, including reporting sepsis quality to providers (64% versus 38%) and using the case review process to develop sepsis care plans. Increased SEP-1 scores were not associated with sepsis QI practices. A sepsis registry was associated with decreased odds of being in the bottom quartile of sepsis mortality, and presence of a sepsis committee was associated with lower hospital-specific mortality.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Bolte TB, Swanson MB, Kaldjian AM .
Hospitals that report severe sepsis and septic shock bundle compliance have more structured sepsis performance improvement.
J Patient Saf 2022 Dec 1;18(8):e1231-e36. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000001062..
Keywords: Sepsis, Hospitals, Quality Improvement, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality of Care