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 206 Research Studies DisplayedKalwani NM, Osmanlliu E, Parameswaran V
Changes in telemedicine use and ambulatory visit volumes at a multispecialty cardiovascular center during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study to examine trends in telemedicine use and visit volumes across cardiology subspecialties during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from patients with ambulatory visits at a multispecialty cardiovascular center in Northern California were analyzed. Results showed that telemedicine visits increased dramatically during the COVID period; usage was above 75% of visits in all cardiology subspecialties in April 2020, stabilizing at rates ranging from over 95% (electrophysiology) to under 25% (heart transplant and vascular medicine). Visit volumes were below pre-COVID levels from March to May 2020, but exceeded pre-COVID levels after June 2020. The researchers concluded that telemedicine can be used to deliver a significant proportion of outpatient cardiovascular care and may increase access to care in cardiology clinics.
AHRQ-funded; HS026128.
Citation: Kalwani NM, Osmanlliu E, Parameswaran V .
Changes in telemedicine use and ambulatory visit volumes at a multispecialty cardiovascular center during the COVID-19 pandemic.
J Telemed Telecare 2024 Apr; 30(3):543-48. doi: 10.1177/1357633x211073428..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Cardiovascular Conditions, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Geary CR, Hook M, Popejoy L
Ambulatory care coordination data gathering and use.
The purpose of this study was to identify information gathered and used to support care coordination in ambulatory settings. Survey respondents, most of whom were nurses, provided demographic information and their practice patterns, including use of electronic health records. Most described at least a partial use of electronic health records, but two respondents described paper documentation systems. The authors concluded that the responses demonstrated significant heterogeneity in ambulatory care coordination data usage, but noted that additional research is needed to identify common data elements to support knowledge development in the context of a learning health system.
AHRQ-funded; HS028000.
Citation: Geary CR, Hook M, Popejoy L .
Ambulatory care coordination data gathering and use.
Comput Inform Nurs 2024 Jan; 42(1):63-70. doi: 10.1097/cin.0000000000001069.
Keywords: Care Coordination, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Schulte A, Biggs MA
Association between facility and clinician characteristics and family planning services provided during U.S. outpatient care visits.
The purpose of this study was to characterize the provision of family planning services in outpatient care settings and evaluate variation by facility and clinician characteristics. The researchers utilized National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data, to evaluate family planning service provision by facility location, facility type, physician specialty, types of clinicians seen, and if the patient was seen by their primary care provider. The sample used for analysis included 53,489 patient visits between 2011 and 2019 with reproductive-age (15-49 years) individuals. Family planning services were provided at 8% of total sampled visits and were more likely to be provided in urban compared with rural areas and at community health centers compared with private physician practices. Family planning services were also more likely to be provided when the patient saw a physician assistant or nurse compared with only a physician. After controlling for observed covariates, measures of between-clinician heterogeneity demonstrated broad variation in which clinicians offered family planning services.
AHRQ-funded; HS022241.
Citation: Schulte A, Biggs MA .
Association between facility and clinician characteristics and family planning services provided during U.S. outpatient care visits.
Womens Health Issues 2023 Nov-Dec; 33(6):573-81. doi: 10.1016/j.whi.2023.06.008..
Keywords: Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Maternal Care, Women, Sexual Health
Parikh K, Lopez MA, Hall M
Child Opportunity Index and rehospitalization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions at US children's hospitals.
Lower Child Opportunity Index (COI) has been related with increased health care use, but the relationship with rehospitalization(s) for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) is not known. The purpose of this multicenter retrospective cohort study was to determine the relationship between COI and ACSC rehospitalizations. 184,478 children ages 0 to 17 years with a hospital admission for ambulatory care sensitive conditions in 2017 or 2018 were included. Exposure was COI, and the primary outcome was rehospitalization within 1 year of index admission for ACSC. Of hospitalizations, 28.3% were by children from very low COI and 16.5% were by children from very high COI neighborhoods. In risk-adjusted models, ACSC rehospitalization was higher for children from very low COI than very high COI neighborhoods; any rehospitalization occurred for 18.7% from very low COI and 13.5% from very high COI neighborhoods whereas 2 or more rehospitalization occurred for 4.8% from very low COI and 3.2% from very high COI neighborhoods.
AHRQ-funded; HS024554; HS028484; HS026385.
Citation: Parikh K, Lopez MA, Hall M .
Child Opportunity Index and rehospitalization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions at US children's hospitals.
Hosp Pediatr 2023 Nov; 13(11):1028-37. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2023-007279..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Osmanlliu E, Kalwani NM, Parameswaran V
Sociodemographic disparities in the use of cardiovascular ambulatory care and telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers examined adult cardiology visits at an academic and affiliated community practice in Northern California to assess the persistence sociodemographic disparities in telemedicine use before and during the COVID pandemic. Results indicated that sociodemographic characteristics of patients receiving cardiovascular care remained stable during both periods, but the modality of care diverged across groups. Observed disparities in the use of video-based telemedicine were greatest for patients 80 years or older, Black, with limited English proficiency, or on Medicaid. The researchers recommended that future studies examine barriers and outcomes in digital healthcare access across diverse patient groups.
AHRQ-funded; HS026128.
Citation: Osmanlliu E, Kalwani NM, Parameswaran V .
Sociodemographic disparities in the use of cardiovascular ambulatory care and telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Am Heart J 2023 Sep; 263:169-76. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2023.06.011..
Keywords: COVID-19, Cardiovascular Conditions, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Disparities, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Brown T, Lee JY, Guzman A
Prevalence and appropriateness of in-person versus not-in-person ambulatory antibiotic prescribing in an integrated academic health system: a cohort study.
This retrospective cohort study examined the prevalence and appropriateness of all ambulatory antibiotic prescribing in an integrated health delivery system in the United States. The authors looked at prescribing at in-person visits and not-in-person visits (e.g. telephone, refills). Prescribing was divided into the following 5 appropriateness groups: 1) chronic antibiotic use; 2) antibiotic-appropriate; 3) potentially antibiotic-appropriate; 4) non-antibiotic-appropriate; and 5) not associated with a diagnosis. Over the 4-year study period, there were 714,057 antibiotic prescriptions ordered for 348,739 unique patients by 2,391 clinicians in 467 clinics with a patient population with a mean age of 41 years, 61% female and 78% White. Clinicians were mostly women (58%); were 78% physicians; and of those physicians were 42% primary care, 39% medical specialists, and 12% surgical specialists. The vast majority (81%) of antibiotics were prescribed at in-person visits, and 19% were not in-person visits (10% telephone, 5% orders only, and 3% refill encounters). Prescribing appropriateness was divided into 16% for chronic use, 15% antibiotic-appropriate, 39% potentially antibiotic-appropriate, 22% non-antibiotic-appropriate, and 8% not associated with a diagnosis. Prescription of antibiotics not-in-person were more likely to be chronic (20% versus 15%); less likely to be associated with appropriate or potentially appropriate diagnoses (30% versus 59%) or non-antibiotic-appropriate diagnoses (8% versus 25%); and more likely to be associated with no diagnosis (42% versus <1%).
AHRQ-funded; HS024930.
Citation: Brown T, Lee JY, Guzman A .
Prevalence and appropriateness of in-person versus not-in-person ambulatory antibiotic prescribing in an integrated academic health system: a cohort study.
PLoS One 2023 Jul 27; 18(7):e0289303. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289303..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Medication, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Olfson M, Zuvekas SH, McClellan C
AHRQ Author: Zuvekas SH, McClellan C
Racial-ethnic disparities in outpatient mental health care in the United States.
Using data from the 2018-19 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, researchers compared national rates and patterns of use for outpatient mental health care among Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White individuals. Analyses focused on individuals using psychotropic medications, psychotherapy, or both, and receipt of minimally adequate mental health care. The results showed that the rate of outpatient mental health service use was more than twice as high for White individuals, and that Black and Hispanic patients were significantly less likely to receive psychotropic medications; Black and Hispanic patients were more likely to receive psychotherapy. No significant differences were found in patients who received minimally adequate treatment for depression, anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or disruptive behavior disorders. The authors concluded that achieving racial-ethnic equity will require dedicated efforts to promote greater mental health service access for Black and Hispanic persons in need.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Olfson M, Zuvekas SH, McClellan C .
Racial-ethnic disparities in outpatient mental health care in the United States.
Psychiatr Serv 2023 Jul; 74(7):674-83. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.20220365..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Behavioral Health, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Kakiuchi S, Perencevich EN, Livorsi DJ
Is the number of prescriptions an appropriate metric for outpatient antimicrobial consumption? A comparison between the prescription counts and days supplied.
Monitoring antibiotic use is essential for encouraging the appropriate use of antibiotics. However, defining appropriate metrics presents multiple challenges. The purpose of this study was to compare 2 metrics for antibiotic outpatient consumption at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) pharmacies: the number of prescriptions in EMRs and the number of dispensed days, or days supplied. During the study period, 13,373,460 clinic visits (5.0%) of the 265,613,607 total clinic visits had an antibiotic prescription, and the total of days supplied was 182,793,572. The study found that the mean days supplied per prescription continued mainly unchanged during the study period. Comparing the number of prescriptions and days supplied normalized by the number of clinic visits, these 2 metrics changed in parallel, with only minor differences from 2010 to 2019. When the researchers focused on short-term prescriptions usually utilized for acute illnesses (14 days or less), prescription number and days supplied reflected an increasing discrepancy. The number of prescriptions underestimated the decline compared to days supplied. Alternatively, long-term prescriptions (15 days or more) reflected the opposite discrepancy. For comparisons between facilities, the researchers found considerable differences in rankings of healthcare systems based on the 2 metrics.
AHRQ-funded; HS027472.
Citation: Kakiuchi S, Perencevich EN, Livorsi DJ .
Is the number of prescriptions an appropriate metric for outpatient antimicrobial consumption? A comparison between the prescription counts and days supplied.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2023 Jun; 44(6):941-44. doi: 10.1017/ice.2022.189..
Keywords: Medication, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Stewardship
Anderson NW, Halfon N, Eisenberg D
Mixed signals in child and adolescent mental health and well-being indicators in the United States: a call for improvements to population health monitoring.
The authors of this paper suggest that policies targeting social indicators of youth status may not have improved overall mental health and well-being. They contend this absence of impact is evidenced by the divergence between social indicators which are improving, such as high school graduation, food insecurity, and smoking, and those which are worsening, such as mental health and well-being. The researchers report that available data indicates that one or more common exposures may be to blame, including those inadequately captured by existing social indicators.
AHRQ-funded; HS000046.
Citation: Anderson NW, Halfon N, Eisenberg D .
Mixed signals in child and adolescent mental health and well-being indicators in the United States: a call for improvements to population health monitoring.
Milbank Q 2023 Jun; 101(2):259-86. doi: 10.1111/1468-0009.12634..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Cardiovascular Conditions
Keller S, Miller MA, Cosgrove SE
AHRQ Author: Miller MA
The AHRQ Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use in Practice.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use was an antibiotic stewardship intervention implemented across the United States in 2020 in 389 primary and urgent care practices. The AHRQ Toolkit to Improve Antibiotic Use in Ambulatory Care has been created based on integration of the educational material used in the AHRQ safety program and the experiences of the participating practices. The toolkit includes presentations on developing, implementing, and maintaining antibiotic stewardship activities; a gap analysis tool; and a guide to accessing and reporting antibiotic prescription data. Practices can use these tools to build their antibiotic stewardship teams and begin working on programs. Improving antibiotic prescribing in ambulatory care is a critical need. Utilizing the AHRQ Toolkit to Improve Antibiotic Use in Ambulatory Care can assist practices in achieving their antibiotic stewardship goals.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 233201500020I.
Citation: Keller S, Miller MA, Cosgrove SE .
The AHRQ Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use in Practice.
Am Fam Physician 2023 May; 107(5):456-57..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Medication, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Tools & Toolkits
Silber JH, Rosenbaum PR, Reiter JG
The safety of performing surgery at ambulatory surgery centers versus hospital outpatient departments in older patients with or without multimorbidity.
The objective of this matched cohort study was to determine if there are differential outcomes in older patients undergoing surgical procedures at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) versus hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). The results indicated that revisits and complication rates for ASC patients were lower than for closely matched HOPD patients. The observed initial baseline risk in HOPD patients was higher than the baseline risk for the same procedures performed at the ASC, which suggested that surgeons are selecting their riskier patients to be treated at the HOPD rather than the ASC.
AHRQ-funded; HS026897.
Citation: Silber JH, Rosenbaum PR, Reiter JG .
The safety of performing surgery at ambulatory surgery centers versus hospital outpatient departments in older patients with or without multimorbidity.
Med Care 2023 May; 61(5):328-37. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001836..
Keywords: Elderly, Surgery, Patient Safety, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Bajaj JS, Peña-Rodriguez M, La Reau A
Longitudinal transkingdom gut microbial approach towards decompensation in outpatients with cirrhosis.
The purpose of this study was to ascertain the crucial role of predicting the onset of initial decompensation development. It emphasizes the significance of transkingdom gut microbial interactions, including archaeal methanogens, as potential markers and predictors, and the need for a longitudinal approach to do so. The study included cirrhosis outpatients who were categorized into three groups: those with compensated cirrhosis in Group 1, those with one incidence of decompensation in Group 2, and those with more than one incidence of decompensation in Group 3. Group 3 was further divided based on stability or further decompensation. The presence of bacteria, viruses, and archaea, along with α/β diversity and temporal taxa fluctuations adjusted for clinical variables were analyzed. The study tracked 157 outpatients and found that between 28% and 47% of those patients developed outcomes. Baseline between those who remained stable/developed outcome: While no differences were seen in α/β diversity, commensals were lower and pathobionts were higher in those who decompensated. After decompensation: those experiencing their first decompensation showed a larger decrease in α/β-diversity, bacterial change and viral change vs those with further decompensation. Archaea: 19% had Methanobacter brevii, which was similar between/within groups. The study concluded that the largest changes in transkingdom gut microbial were observed in those reaching the first decompensation, compared with subsequent decompensating events.
AHRQ-funded; HS025412.
Citation: Bajaj JS, Peña-Rodriguez M, La Reau A .
Longitudinal transkingdom gut microbial approach towards decompensation in outpatients with cirrhosis.
Gut 2023 Apr; 72(4):759-71. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2022-328403.
AHRQ-funded; HS025412.
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AHRQ-funded; HS025412.
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Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Outcomes
Wong CI, Vannatta K, Gilleland Marchak J
Preventable harm because of outpatient medication errors among children with leukemia and lymphoma: a multisite longitudinal assessment.
The goal of this longitudinal study was to characterize rates and types of medication errors and harm to outpatient children with leukemia and lymphoma over seven months of treatment. The study included children taking medications at home for leukemia or lymphoma from three pediatric cancer centers. Ten percent experienced adverse drug events because of outpatient medication errors. Twenty-six percent of caregivers reported miscommunication leading to missed doses or overdoses. The authors concluded that improvements addressing communication with and among caregivers should be based on human-factors engineering and codeveloped with families.
AHRQ-funded; HS024390.
Citation: Wong CI, Vannatta K, Gilleland Marchak J .
Preventable harm because of outpatient medication errors among children with leukemia and lymphoma: a multisite longitudinal assessment.
Cancer 2023 Apr 1;129(7):1064-74. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34651.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Cancer, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Medical Errors, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Medication: Safety, Patient Safety
Salwei ME, Anders S, Slagle JM
Understanding patient and clinician reported nonroutine events in ambulatory surgery.
This prospective observational study’s objective was to understand the incidence and nature of patient- and clinician-reported nonroutine events (NREs) in ambulatory surgery. The authors interviewed patients about NREs that occurred during their perioperative care using a structured interview tool before discharge and in a 7-day follow-up call and concurrently interviewed the clinicians caring for these patients immediately postoperatively to collect NREs. The authors trained 2 clinicians and 2 patients to assess and code each reported NRE for type, theme, severity, and likelihood of reoccurrence (i.e., likelihood that the same event would occur for another patient). Out of 145 ambulatory surgery cases 101 (70%) contained at least one NRE. Overall, 214 NREs were reported, of those 88 were by patients and 126 by clinicians. Cases containing clinician-reported NREs were associated with increased patient body mass index and lower postcase patient ratings of being treated with respect. Cases containing patient-reported NREs were associated with longer case duration, higher postcase clinician frustration ratings, higher ratings of patient stress, and lower patient ratings of their quality of life, the quality of clinician teamwork, being treated with respect, and being listened to carefully. Trained patient raters evaluated NRE severity significantly higher than did clinician raters, while clinicians rated recurrence likelihood significantly higher than patients for both clinician and patient-reported NREs. Combining patient- and clinician-reported NREs seems to be a promising patient-centered method of identifying healthcare system deficiencies and opportunities for improvement.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395.
Citation: Salwei ME, Anders S, Slagle JM .
Understanding patient and clinician reported nonroutine events in ambulatory surgery.
J Patient Saf 2023 Mar 1; 19(2):e38-e45. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000001089..
Keywords: Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Quality of Life
Jindai K, Itaya T, Ogawa Y
Decline in oral antimicrobial prescription in the outpatient setting after nationwide implementation of financial incentives and provider education: an interrupted time-series analysis.
Researchers examined the impact of financial incentives to providers and provider education on overall antimicrobial prescription rates. They also analyzed how nationwide outpatient antimicrobial stewardship interventions in cases where antimicrobials were deemed unnecessary for uncomplicated respiratory infections and acute diarrhea affected different age groups before and after their implementation. The results indicated that prescription rates for all age groups showed a downward trend throughout the study period. Substantial reductions in prescription rates were observed among infants under 2 years, while provider education immediately reduced prescription rates in all age groups uniformly. Interventions did not affect the long-term trend for any age group.
AHRQ-funded; HS027472.
Citation: Jindai K, Itaya T, Ogawa Y .
Decline in oral antimicrobial prescription in the outpatient setting after nationwide implementation of financial incentives and provider education: an interrupted time-series analysis.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2023 Feb; 44(2):253-59. doi: 10.1017/ice.2022.49..
Keywords: Antimicrobial Stewardship, Antibiotics, Medication, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Pham T, Patel P, Mbusa D
Impact of a pharmacist intervention on DOAC knowledge and satisfaction in ambulatory patients.
This randomized clinical trial’s goal was to assess the impact on knowledge and satisfaction of an intervention framed around a newly developed direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) Checklist to guide and educate patients initiating or resuming DOACs. The cohort included ambulatory patients starting a DOAC or resuming one after setback (bleeding, stroke, or transient ischemic attack) in an ambulatory setting (office, emergency department, or short stay hospitalization). The study included three educational clinical pharmacist tele-visits, hotline access to the pharmacist, and coordination with continuity providers in 3 months. An abbreviated version of the Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Survey was administered to 463 patients. Scores were similar for the 233 intervention patients vs. 203 control patients (63.7% vs 62.2% correct). Satisfaction scores on the 7-point Likert scale were also virtually identical. The pharmacist-led intervention framed around the DOAC checklist had little impact on knowledge and satisfaction. There were delays between the intervention end and completion of the follow-up questionnaires, which may have obscured benefits experienced earlier.
AHRQ-funded; HS026859.
Citation: Pham T, Patel P, Mbusa D .
Impact of a pharmacist intervention on DOAC knowledge and satisfaction in ambulatory patients.
J Thromb Thrombolysis 2023 Feb;55(2):346-54. doi: 10.1007/s11239-022-02743-0.
Keywords: Provider: Pharmacist, Blood Thinners, Medication, Patient Experience, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Holcomb J, Rajan SS, Ferguson GM
Implementation of an evidence-based intervention with safety net clinics to improve mammography appointment adherence among underserved women.
This study evaluated the implementation of an evidence-based intervention in safety-net clinics to improve mammography appointment adherence in underserved women called the Peace of Mind Program. The intervention was implemented in 19 Federally Qualified Health centers and charity care clinics within the Greater Houston area. Surveys were given prior to adoption and at eight weeks post implementation to assess Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research constructs. A total of 4402 women were surveyed (baseline period 2078, intervention period 2324). Women in the intervention period or who completed the intervention were more likely to attend or reschedule their mammography appointment than those who did not complete the intervention. A total of 15 clinics prior to adoption and eight clinics completed the survey post implementation.
AHRQ-funded; HS023255.
Citation: Holcomb J, Rajan SS, Ferguson GM .
Implementation of an evidence-based intervention with safety net clinics to improve mammography appointment adherence among underserved women.
J Cancer Educ 2023 Feb; 38(1):309-18. doi: 10.1007/s13187-021-02116-w..
Keywords: Evidence-Based Practice, Screening, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Imaging, Vulnerable Populations, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Weiner M, Adeoye P, Boeh MJ
Continuous glucose monitoring and other wearable devices to assess hypoglycemia among older adult outpatients with diabetes mellitus.
The purpose of this study was to assess whether vulnerable older adults could use wearable devices, and explore Hypoglycemia frequency over a two week period. The researchers recruited 10 participants with diabetes mellitus to pilot test a continuous glucometer, physical activity monitor, electronic medication bottles, and smartphones which that provided prompts about medications, behaviors, and symptoms. A sample of 70 then wore glucometers and activity monitors and used the smartphone and bottles for a duration of 2 weeks and provided feedback. The study found that patients were interested in assistance with the interpretation of graphs, had challenges with keeping the glucometers attached. Nearly 23% of respondents indicated that they never check their blood sugars. In two weeks of monitoring, 73% had HG and 42% had serious, clinically significant HG.
AHRQ-funded; HS024384.
Citation: Weiner M, Adeoye P, Boeh MJ .
Continuous glucose monitoring and other wearable devices to assess hypoglycemia among older adult outpatients with diabetes mellitus.
Appl Clin Inform 2023 Jan; 14(1):37-44. doi: 10.1055/a-1975-4136..
Keywords: Elderly, Diabetes, Chronic Conditions, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Patient Self-Management, Medical Devices
Ho M, Tadrous M, Iacono A
Outpatient purchasing patterns of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin in the USA and Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic: an interrupted time series analysis from 2016 to 2021.
The authors explored the impact of scientific articles, public announcements, and social media posts on hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin purchases in the US and Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their findings indicated that there were significant pulse increases in hydroxychloroquine purchases in March 2020; significant pulse increases in ivermectin occurred from December 2020 to January 2021. The authors concluded that increased hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin purchasing rates aligned with controversial scientific articles and social media posts, and that these findings highlighted the importance of scientific integrity as well as the dissemination of accurate epidemiologic information during pandemics.
AHRQ-funded; HS027985.
Citation: Ho M, Tadrous M, Iacono A .
Outpatient purchasing patterns of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin in the USA and Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic: an interrupted time series analysis from 2016 to 2021.
J Antimicrob Chemother 2023 Jan;78(1):242-51. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkac382..
Keywords: COVID-19, Medication, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Guzman A, Brown T, Lee JY
Look-back and look-forward durations and the apparent appropriateness of ambulatory antibiotic prescribing.
Researchers assessed how the apparent appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing changes when using different look-back and look-forward periods. Classifying all ambulatory antibiotic prescriptions in the electronic health record of an integrated health care system as chronic, appropriate, potentially appropriate, inappropriate, or not associated with any diagnosis, they concluded that ambulatory programs and studies focused on appropriate or inappropriate antibiotic prescribing can reasonably use a short duration of association between an antibiotic prescription and diagnosis codes. They further indicated that programs and studies focused on potentially appropriate antibiotic prescribing might consider examining longer durations.
AHRQ-funded; HS024930.
Citation: Guzman A, Brown T, Lee JY .
Look-back and look-forward durations and the apparent appropriateness of ambulatory antibiotic prescribing.
Antibiotics 2022 Nov 4;11(11). doi: 10.3390/antibiotics11111554..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Medication, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Practice Patterns
Chatterjee P, Liao JM, Wang E
Characteristics, utilization, and concentration of outpatient care for dual-eligible Medicare beneficiaries.
The purpose of this study was to describe the distribution of outpatient care for dual-eligible Medicare beneficiaries ("duals") and characterize the intensity of outpatient care utilization of duals vs non-dual-eligible beneficiaries ("nonduals"). The researchers assessed the distribution of outpatient care across physician practices and compared the use of different outpatient services between duals and nonduals. The study found that nearly 80% of outpatient visits for duals were provided by 35% of practices. Compared with low-dual and no-dual practices, high-dual practices served more patients, with morhe comorbidities. Duals had 2 less outpatient visits per year compared with nonduals with substantially fewer subspecialty care visits despite having more comorbidities.
AHRQ-funded; HS027595.
Citation: Chatterjee P, Liao JM, Wang E .
Characteristics, utilization, and concentration of outpatient care for dual-eligible Medicare beneficiaries.
Am J Manag Care 2022 Oct;28(10):e370-e77. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2022.89189..
Keywords: Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Medicare, Medicaid, Care Management, Healthcare Utilization
Kilaru AS, Illenberger N, Meisel ZF
Incidence of timely outpatient follow-up care after emergency department encounters for acute heart failure.
The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to explore the incidence of outpatient follow-up care after presentation for acute heart failure at the emergency department (ED), and to present patient characteristics associated with receiving timely follow-up care. Using an administrative claims database from a United States commercial insurer, the researchers reviewed 52,732 adult patients with a mean age of 73.9 years discharged from the ED with the principal diagnosis of acute heart failure. The study found that within 30 days of the ED encounter, 23.2% of patients attended an outpatient clinic visit for heart failure, with 15.9% patients hospitalized before they could obtain an outpatient clinic visit. Patients that were younger, women, reporting non-Hispanic Black race, and had fewer previous clinic visits were less likely to obtain outpatient follow-up care. The study concluded that almost 20% of patients require hospitalization within 30 days of an ED for visit for heart failure, and few obtain timely outpatient follow-up after the initial visit.
AHRQ-funded; HS026372.
Citation: Kilaru AS, Illenberger N, Meisel ZF .
Incidence of timely outpatient follow-up care after emergency department encounters for acute heart failure.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2022 Sep;15(9):e009001. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009001..
Keywords: Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Emergency Department, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
Keller SC, Cosgrove SE, Miller MA
AHRQ Author: Miller MA
A framework for implementing antibiotic stewardship in ambulatory care: lessons learned from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use.
This article used lessons learned from AHRQ’s Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use in Ambulatory Care to describe a step-by-step framework that assists practices with establishing antibiotic stewardship in outpatient settings. These steps include: obtaining support from practice leadership; establishing antibiotic stewardship teams; garnering support from practice members; building communication skills around antibiotic use; implementing educational content around an infectious syndrome; accessing and monitoring antibiotic prescribing data; and implementing a sustainability plan.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 233201500020I.
Citation: Keller SC, Cosgrove SE, Miller MA .
A framework for implementing antibiotic stewardship in ambulatory care: lessons learned from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use.
Antimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol 2022 Jul 4;2(1):e109. doi: 10.1017/ash.2022.258..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Medication, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Patient Safety
Cuellar A, Pomeroy JML, Burla S
Outpatient care among users and nonusers of direct-to-patient telehealth: observational study.
The purpose of this study was to explore whether telehealth services users depend more on other forms of outpatient care vs. nonusers, and to estimate differences in payment rates between the two groups. The researchers evaluated claims data from 2017, analyzing patients with visits for 3 common diagnoses (N=660,546) and calculating the total number of visits per patient. The study reported that users of telehealth visits had .44 fewer visits to primary care, .11 fewer visits to emergency departments, and .17 fewer visits to retail and urgent care than nonusers. In addition, the average payment rates for telehealth visits were less than all other outpatient care settings. The study concluded that instead of adding to in-person care, telehealth visits may provide a less expensive alternative by substituting for some types of in-person care.
AHRQ-funded; HS025163.
Citation: Cuellar A, Pomeroy JML, Burla S .
Outpatient care among users and nonusers of direct-to-patient telehealth: observational study.
J Med Internet Res 2022 Jun 6;24(6):e37574. doi: 10.2196/37574..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Levine DM, Chalasani R, Linder JA
Association of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act with ambulatory quality, patient experience, utilization, and cost, 2014-2016.
The national impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) continues to be debated. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the relationship between the ACA and ambulatory quality, patient experience, utilization, and cost by comparing outcomes before (2011-2013) and after (2014-2016) ACA implementation. The study focused on United States adults between 18 and 64 years of age with income less than and greater than or equal to 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL), who had responded to the annual Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Researchers conducted analysis of data from a sample of 123,171 individuals between January 2021 and March 2022. The study found that after the implementation of ACA, adults with income levels less than 400% of the FPL received increased high value care such as diagnostic and preventive testing when compared with adults with income 400% or higher of the FPL, and there were no differences in the other quality measures. Individuals with income less than 400% of the FPL had greater improvements in access, experience, and communication measures compared with those who had income greater than or equal to 400% of the FPL. Receipt of primary care services increased for individuals with lower income compared to individuals with higher income and for those with lower income compared to those with higher income, total out-of-pocket expenditures decreased. There were no other differences in utilization or cost between those groups. The researchers concluded that in this study, the ACA was not associated with changes in utilization, quality, or cost, but was related to decreased out-of-pocket expenditures and improved patient access, communication, and experience.
AHRQ-funded; 233201500020I; HS026506; HS028127.
Citation: Levine DM, Chalasani R, Linder JA .
Association of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act with ambulatory quality, patient experience, utilization, and cost, 2014-2016.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Jun 1;5(6):e2218167. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.18167..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Health Insurance, Access to Care