National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Access to Care (3)
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (3)
- Adverse Events (18)
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (5)
- Antibiotics (28)
- Antimicrobial Stewardship (14)
- Anxiety (2)
- Arthritis (1)
- Asthma (54)
- Behavioral Health (4)
- Blood Clots (6)
- Blood Pressure (2)
- Cancer (5)
- Cancer: Lung Cancer (3)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (13)
- Caregiving (3)
- Care Management (9)
- Case Study (2)
- Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (1)
- Children/Adolescents (110)
- Chronic Conditions (58)
- Clinical Decision Support (CDS) (6)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (2)
- Communication (2)
- Community-Acquired Infections (9)
- Comparative Effectiveness (13)
- Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) (1)
- COVID-19 (23)
- Critical Care (19)
- Data (2)
- Dental and Oral Health (1)
- Depression (5)
- Diabetes (1)
- Diagnostic Safety and Quality (24)
- Digestive Disease and Health (1)
- Disparities (8)
- Education: Academic (1)
- Education: Continuing Medical Education (1)
- Education: Patient and Caregiver (4)
- Elderly (18)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (10)
- Emergency Department (22)
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) (1)
- Emergency Preparedness (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (32)
- Genetics (1)
- Guidelines (17)
- Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) (8)
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) (24)
- Healthcare Costs (14)
- Healthcare Delivery (7)
- Healthcare Utilization (16)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (15)
- Health Literacy (3)
- Health Services Research (HSR) (1)
- Health Status (1)
- Heart Disease and Health (11)
- Home Healthcare (6)
- Hospital Discharge (7)
- Hospitalization (38)
- Hospital Readmissions (23)
- Hospitals (18)
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (2)
- Imaging (12)
- Implementation (3)
- Infectious Diseases (14)
- Influenza (9)
- Injuries and Wounds (1)
- Inpatient Care (13)
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (24)
- Kidney Disease and Health (2)
- Lifestyle Changes (1)
- Long-Term Care (5)
- Low-Income (2)
- Maternal Care (1)
- Medicaid (3)
- Medical Devices (2)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) (2)
- Medicare (9)
- Medication (57)
- Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (1)
- Mortality (12)
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) (1)
- Neurological Disorders (4)
- Newborns/Infants (22)
- Nursing Homes (1)
- Nutrition (2)
- Obesity (6)
- Obesity: Weight Management (2)
- Opioids (3)
- Orthopedics (1)
- Outcomes (39)
- Pain (2)
- Palliative Care (6)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (3)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (32)
- Patient Adherence/Compliance (8)
- Patient and Family Engagement (1)
- Patient Safety (19)
- Patient Self-Management (2)
- Payment (3)
- Pneumonia (29)
- Practice Patterns (15)
- Pregnancy (2)
- Prevention (11)
- Primary Care (12)
- Provider (3)
- Provider: Clinician (1)
- Provider: Health Personnel (1)
- Provider: Pharmacist (1)
- Provider: Physician (4)
- Provider Performance (3)
- Public Health (9)
- Quality Improvement (11)
- Quality Indicators (QIs) (3)
- Quality Measures (4)
- Quality of Care (20)
- Quality of Life (9)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (8)
- Registries (3)
- Rehabilitation (2)
- Research Methodologies (3)
- (-) Respiratory Conditions (371)
- Risk (32)
- Screening (4)
- Sepsis (4)
- Sex Factors (1)
- Shared Decision Making (13)
- Sickle Cell Disease (1)
- Simulation (1)
- Skin Conditions (2)
- Sleep Problems (21)
- Social Determinants of Health (7)
- Stress (1)
- Substance Abuse (2)
- Surgery (13)
- Teams (1)
- Telehealth (5)
- Tobacco Use (8)
- Tobacco Use: Smoking Cessation (1)
- Training (4)
- Transitions of Care (4)
- Transplantation (1)
- Treatments (7)
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) (2)
- Urban Health (4)
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) (1)
- Vaccination (5)
- Vulnerable Populations (5)
- Women (3)
- Workflow (2)
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
51 to 75 of 371 Research Studies DisplayedKim B, Mulready-Ward C, Thorpe LE
Housing environments and asthma outcomes within population-based samples of adults and children in NYC.
This study assessed the relationship between housing type (i.e., home ownership, public housing, rental assistance, rent-controlled housing, and other rental housing) and asthma outcomes among New York City (NYC) adults and children (ages 1-13). The authors used the 2019 NYC Community Health Survey (CHS) and 2019 NYC KIDS survey to analyze associations between housing type and ever having been diagnosed with asthma (“ever asthma”) and experiencing an asthma attack within the past year. They also examined whether associations were modified by smoking status (among adults), smoking within the house (among children), and overweight/obesity. Among adults, living in public housing, compared to home ownership, was associated with higher odds of ever asthma and past-year asthma attack. Rental assistance housing living was also significantly associated with ever asthma. Public or rental assistance housing associations and ever asthma were marginally significant among children but were more pronounced among ever smokers than among never smokers.
AHRQ-funded; HS026120.
Citation: Kim B, Mulready-Ward C, Thorpe LE .
Housing environments and asthma outcomes within population-based samples of adults and children in NYC.
Prev Med 2022 Aug;161:107147. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107147..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Asthma, Respiratory Conditions, Social Determinants of Health, Vulnerable Populations, Urban Health, Chronic Conditions
Rudin RS, Qureshi N, Foer D
Toward an asthma patient-reported outcome measure for use in digital remote monitoring.
The purpose of this study was to create a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) and evaluate its suitability for digital remote asthma symptom monitoring to identify uncontrolled asthma. The researchers modified the asthma control measure (ACM), an existing, non-licensed PROM, and tested it with the asthma control questionnaire (ACQ-5) on 498 individuals with asthma, all of whom were recruited through an online platform. The study concluded that the modified ACM can be used in digital remote monitoring, does not require a license, and is able to differentiate between patients with uncontrolled asthma and patients with well-controlled asthma.
AHRQ-funded; HS026432.
Citation: Rudin RS, Qureshi N, Foer D .
Toward an asthma patient-reported outcome measure for use in digital remote monitoring.
J Asthma 2022 Aug;59(8):1697-702. doi: 10.1080/02770903.2021.1955378..
Keywords: Asthma, Respiratory Conditions, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Keller SC, Caballero TM, Tamma PD
AHRQ Author: Miller MA
Assessment of changes in visits and antibiotic prescribing during the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use and the COVID-19 pandemic.
This cohort study evaluated the effectiveness of the AHRQ Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use aimed to improve antibiotic prescribing in ambulatory practices by engaging clinicians and staff to incorporate antibiotic stewardship into practice culture, communication, and decision-making. The study ran from December 2019 through November 2020. A total of 389 ambulatory care practices with over 6.5 million visits to 5483 clinicians were compared from the baseline to completion of the program. Participants included 82 primary care practices, 103 urgent care practices, 34 federally supported practices, 21 pediatric-only practices, 39 pediatric urgent care practices, 21 pediatric-only practices, and 14 other practice types. Of the 389 practices who completed the program, 75% submitted completed data. Visits per practice per month decreased from a mean of 1624 at baseline to a nadir of 906 early in the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020) and were 1797 at the end of the program. Total antibiotic prescribing decreased from 18.2% of visits at baseline to 9.5% at completion of the program. Acute respiratory infection (ARI) visits per practice per month decreased from a baseline of 321 to a nadir of 76 early in the pandemic (May 2020) and gradually increased through completion of the program (n = 239). Antibiotic prescribing for ARIs decreased from 39.2% at baseline to 24.7% at completion of the program.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 233201500020I.
Citation: Keller SC, Caballero TM, Tamma PD .
Assessment of changes in visits and antibiotic prescribing during the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use and the COVID-19 pandemic.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Jul;5(7):e2220512. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.20512..
Keywords: Antimicrobial Stewardship, Antibiotics, Medication, COVID-19, Public Health, Respiratory Conditions
Saxena FE, Bierman AS, Glazier RH
AHRQ Author: Bierman AS
Association of Early Physician Follow-up With Readmission Among Patients Hospitalized for Acute Myocardial Infarction, Congestive Heart Failure, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
Investigators assessed whether hospitalized patients with early physician follow-up after discharge had lower rates of overall and condition-specific readmissions within 30 days and 90 days of discharge. Studying adults in Ontario, Canada, with first admission for acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the findings suggested that early follow-up in conjunction with a comprehensive transitional care strategy for hospitalized patients with medically complex conditions coupled with ongoing effective chronic disease management may be associated with reduced 90-day readmissions.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Saxena FE, Bierman AS, Glazier RH .
Association of Early Physician Follow-up With Readmission Among Patients Hospitalized for Acute Myocardial Infarction, Congestive Heart Failure, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Jul;5(7):e2222056. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.22056..
Keywords: Hospital Readmissions, Hospitalization, Cardiovascular Conditions, Respiratory Conditions, Transitions of Care
Raper JD, Thomas AM, Lupez K
Can right ventricular assessments improve triaging of low risk pulmonary embolism?
Researchers sought to determine if right ventricle (RV) assessment variables add prognostic accuracy for 5-day clinical deterioration in patients classified low risk by the Simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index and to determine the prognostic importance of RV assessments compared to other variables and to each other. They found that a pulmonary embolism triaging strategy with RV imaging assessments had superior prognostic performance at classifying low risk for 5-day clinical deterioration versus one without.
AHRQ-funded; HS025979.
Citation: Raper JD, Thomas AM, Lupez K .
Can right ventricular assessments improve triaging of low risk pulmonary embolism?
Acad Emerg Med 2022 Jul;29(7):835-50. doi: 10.1111/acem.14484..
Keywords: Respiratory Conditions, Blood Clots, Risk
Tyler A, Dempsey A, Spencer S
Do the guidelines apply?-A multisite, combined stakeholder qualitative case study to understand care decisions in bronchiolitis.
Researchers sought an improved understanding of factors that influence care decisions across multiple stakeholders and diverse settings in order to develop effective strategies to de-implement unnecessary testing and treatment for bronchiolitis. A qualitative case study was conducted across two geographically distinct university affiliated children's hospitals, including semistructured interviews and focus groups with patient participants. The researchers found that, incongruent with provider and care team perceptions, parents reported that they desire an evidence-based, less-is-more approach to bronchiolitis care.
AHRQ-funded; HS026512.
Citation: Tyler A, Dempsey A, Spencer S .
Do the guidelines apply?-A multisite, combined stakeholder qualitative case study to understand care decisions in bronchiolitis.
Acad Pediatr 2022 Jul;22(5):806-17. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.08.003..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Respiratory Conditions, Shared Decision Making, Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice
Haessler S, Guo N, Deshpande A
Etiology, treatments, and outcomes of patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia in a large U.S. sample.
This study compared the clinical practice and outcomes in severe community-acquired pneumonia (sCAP) patients to those in non-sCAP patients using guideline-defined criteria for sCAP. The definition for sCAP includes a principal diagnosis of pneumonia or a secondary pneumonia diagnosis paired with a principal diagnosis of sepsis or respiratory failure. One-hundred seventy-seven US hospitals within the Premier Healthcare Database were used to identify 154,799 patients with pneumonia, with 14.1% meeting criteria for sCAP. The sCAP patients had higher organ failure scores and inpatient mortality, longer lengths of stay, and higher costs than those with nonsevere disease. Patients with sCAP had twice the rate of positive blood cultures and respiratory cultures and more often had isolates resistant to first-line community-acquired pneumonia antibiotics. The most common pathogen acquired from blood cultures was Streptococcus pneumoniae and from the respiratory tract Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas species. The most common antibiotics prescribed were vancomycin (65%) and piperacillin-tazobactam (42.8%), regardless of cultures positive for a resistant organism.
AHRQ-funded; HS024277.
Citation: Haessler S, Guo N, Deshpande A .
Etiology, treatments, and outcomes of patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia in a large U.S. sample.
Crit Care Med 2022 Jul;50(7):1063-71. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000005498..
Keywords: Community-Acquired Infections, Pneumonia, Respiratory Conditions, Outcomes
Lindell RB, Fitzgerald JC, Rowan CM
The use and duration of preintubation respiratory support is associated with increased mortality in immunocompromised children with acute respiratory failure.
The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to examine the relationship between preintubation respiratory support and outcomes in pediatric patients with acute respiratory failure and to evaluate the impact of immunocompromised (IC) diagnoses on outcomes. The study utilized data from the Virtual Pediatric Systems database which included 82 centers, and focused on patients intubated in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) ranging in age from 1 month old to 17 years of age who received invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) for more than or equal to 24 hours. Of the 5,348 PICU intubations across 82 centers, high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) or noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV) or both were used before intubation in 34% (1,825) of patients. Fifty percent of the patients had no IC diagnosis. The researchers found that exposure to HFNC was associated with greater odds of PICU mortality when compared with patients intubated without prior support. When analyzing subgroups of IC status, preintubation support was related to higher odds of PICU mortality in IC patients and HCT patients when compared with IC/ HCT patients intubated without prior respiratory support. A duration of HFNC/NIPPV of more than 6 hours was associated with increased mortality in IC HCT patients. Rates of preintubation HFNC/NIPPV use and PICU mortality varied between the 82 centers. The researchers concluded that greater duration of exposure to HFNC/NIPPV prior to IMV is associated with increased mortality in HCT patients, and preintubation exposure to HFNC and/or NIPPV in IC pediatric patients is associated with increased odds of PICU mortality, independent of the severity of the illness.
AHRQ-funded; HS024511.
Citation: Lindell RB, Fitzgerald JC, Rowan CM .
The use and duration of preintubation respiratory support is associated with increased mortality in immunocompromised children with acute respiratory failure.
Crit Care Med 2022 Jul;50(7):1127-37. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000005535..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Respiratory Conditions, Mortality, Critical Care
Wayne MT, Seelye S, Molling D
Variation in U.S. hospital practices for bronchoscopy in the intensive care unit.
The authors sought to measure bronchoscopy rates among mechanically ventilated ICU patients and to assess for variation across hospitals. In this cohort of over 150 diverse hospitals across the United States, they found that nearly 4% of mechanically ventilated ICU patients underwent bronchoscopy, representing a more than 20-fold variation in its use, which was only minimally attenuated after adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics. They recommended future studies to understand the drivers and impact of this variation on patient outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS028038.
Citation: Wayne MT, Seelye S, Molling D .
Variation in U.S. hospital practices for bronchoscopy in the intensive care unit.
Ann Am Thorac Soc 2022 Jun;19(6):1061-65. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202110-1141RL..
Keywords: Hospitals, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Respiratory Conditions
Wang Y, Eldridge N, Metersky ML
AHRQ Author: Eldridge N, Rodrick D
Analysis of hospital-level readmission rates and variation in adverse events among patients with pneumonia in the United States.
The purpose of this AHRQ-authored cross-sectional study was to assess whether patients with pneumonia who were admitted to hospitals with higher risk-standardized readmission rates had a higher risk of in-hospital adverse events. The researchers linked patient-level adverse events data from the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System (MPSMS) to the hospital-level pneumonia-specific all-cause readmissions data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The MPSMS data included 46,047 patients with pneumonia across 2,590 hospitals discharged from July 1, 2010, through December 31, 2019. For data from 2010 to 2017, analysis was completed from October 2019 through July 2020, and for data from 2018 to 2019 analysis was completed from March through April 2022. The study concluded that readmission rates are associated with the quality of hospital care for pneumonia; patients with pneumonia admitted to hospitals with high all-cause readmission rates had a higher likelihood of developing adverse events during the initial hospitalization.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201800005C.
Citation: Wang Y, Eldridge N, Metersky ML .
Analysis of hospital-level readmission rates and variation in adverse events among patients with pneumonia in the United States.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 May 2;5(5):e2214586. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.14586..
Keywords: Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals, Adverse Events, Pneumonia, Respiratory Conditions
Encinosa W, Figueroa J, Elias Y
AHRQ Author: Encinosa W
Severity of hospitalizations from SARS-CoV-2 vs influenza and respiratory syncytial virus infection in children aged 5 to 11 years in 11 US states.
By the time emergency use authorization had been granted for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in October 2021 in children aged 5 to 11 years, there had been 1.8 million diagnoses of SARS-CoV-2 infection, 8,000 hospitalizations, and 143 deaths in that age group. Very little has been reported on the severity of those hospitalizations relative to the influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) which are the most common childhood viruses. The purpose of this study was to compare hospitalizations of children aged 5 to 11 for SARS-CoV-2 infection and multisystem inflammatory system in children (MIS-C, a sequela of COVID-19 disease) with the hospitalizations of children aged 5 to 11 years who were infected with influenza and RSV. The researchers utilized inpatient data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project from the first 11 states with complete first-quarter data as of October 2021, representing 24% of the US population of children aged 5 to 11 years. The researchers examined 46 complications in 7 body systems, total care costs and charges, and data on race and ethnicity. The resulting cross-sectional study included patient data from a total of 2,269 children. The study found that COVID-19 hospitalizations occurred at the rate of 10.8 per 100,000 children, while Influenza and RSV were rare during the first quarter of 2021 with 23 total hospital discharges combined. However, in 2017, which researchers also measured for data on influenza and RSV, influenza and RSV had 17.0 and 6.2 hospitalizations per 100,000 children, respectively. Inpatient death for all viruses was rare. MIS-C had the highest rates of cardiovascular, hematologic, and gastrointestinal complications. Children with RSV ha the highest rate of respiratory complications. Children with COVID-19 (without MISC-C) had the highest rate of neurologic complications, whereas children with influenza had the highest rate of muscoskeletal complications. Children with MIS-C had the longest median length of stay at a median cost of $23,585 per stay compared to children with influenza with a median length of stay of 2 days and a cost of $5,200.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Encinosa W, Figueroa J, Elias Y .
Severity of hospitalizations from SARS-CoV-2 vs influenza and respiratory syncytial virus infection in children aged 5 to 11 years in 11 US states.
JAMA Pediatr 2022 May;176(5):520-22. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.6566..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), COVID-19, Children/Adolescents, Hospitalization, Influenza, Respiratory Conditions
Mahony T, Harder VS, Ang N
Weekend versus weekday asthma-related emergency department utilization.
The objective of this study was to assess variation in pediatric asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits between weekends and weekdays. Data was taken from California 2016 Medicaid data and Vermont 2016 and Massachusetts 2015 all-payer claims sources for children and adolescents in stratified groups aged 3 to 21. The asthma-related ED visit rate was slightly lower on weekends. The authors concluded that their findings suggest the increase of access options during the weekend may not necessarily decrease asthma-related ED visits.
AHRQ-funded; HS025297; HS020518; 233201600221A; 233201550088A
Citation: Mahony T, Harder VS, Ang N .
Weekend versus weekday asthma-related emergency department utilization.
Acad Pediatr 2022 May-Jun;22(4):640-46. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.09.005..
Keywords: Asthma, Respiratory Conditions, Emergency Department, Healthcare Utilization
Bardach NS, Harder VS, McCulloch CE
Follow-up after asthma emergency department visits and its relationship with subsequent asthma-related utilization.
Researchers sought to assess the association between follow-up after an asthma-related emergency department (ED) visit and the likelihood of subsequent asthma-related ED utilization. Using data from California Medicaid, Vermont, and Massachusetts all-payer claims databases, they found a protective association between outpatient 14-day follow-up and asthma-related ED revisits. They suggested that this may reflect improved asthma control as providers follow the NHLBI guideline stepwise approach.
AHRQ-funded; HS025297; HS020518.
Citation: Bardach NS, Harder VS, McCulloch CE .
Follow-up after asthma emergency department visits and its relationship with subsequent asthma-related utilization.
Acad Pediatr 2022 Apr;22(3S):S125-S32. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.10.015..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Asthma, Emergency Department, Respiratory Conditions, Healthcare Utilization
Valbuena VSM, Barbaro RP, Claar D
Racial bias in pulse oximetry measurement among patients about to undergo extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in 2019-2020: a retrospective cohort study.
This study examined whether pulse oximeters detect arterial hypoxemia less effectively in Black, Hispanic, and/or Asian patients than in White patients in respiratory failure who are about to undergo extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Data on adult patients with respiratory failure readings 6 hours before ECMO from 324 centers from January 2019 to July 2020 who were in the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry was used. The author’s primary analysis was of rates of occult hypoxemia-low arterial oxygen saturation (Sao(2) ≤ 88%) on arterial blood gas measurement despite a pulse oximetry reading in the range of 92% to 96%. The rate of pre-ECMO occult hypoxemia was 10.2% for 186 White patients with peripheral oxygen saturation; 21.5% for 51 Black patients; 8.6% for 70 Hispanic patients; and 9.2% for 75 Asian patients. The risk of occult hypoxemia was comparable for Hispanic and Asian patients to White patients, but the prevalence of occult hypoxemia was higher in Black patients than for White patients about to undergo ECMO for respiratory failure.
AHRQ-funded; HS028038.
Citation: Valbuena VSM, Barbaro RP, Claar D .
Racial bias in pulse oximetry measurement among patients about to undergo extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in 2019-2020: a retrospective cohort study.
Chest 2022 Apr;161(4):971-78. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2021.09.025..
Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Medical Devices, Respiratory Conditions
Anesi GL, Liu VX, Chowdhury M
Association of ICU admission and outcomes in sepsis and acute respiratory failure.
ICU capacity is strained and its capacity and effectiveness are limited because many patient admission decisions are not evidence-based regarding who benefits from admission triage. The purpose of the study was to measure the benefits of admission to the ICU in patients who were experiencing sepsis or acute respiratory failure. Researchers looked retrospectively from 2013 to 2018 at cohorts within 27 U.S. hospitals across two health systems. They compared ICU admission vs ward admission among patients with sepsis and/ or acute respiratory failure who did not require vasopressors or mechanical ventilation in the emergency department. Study results revealed in patients with sepsis that ICU admission was associated with a hospital stay of 1.32 days longer than ward admissions, with a higher in-hospital mortality ratio. In patients with respiratory failure, ICU admission was associated with a .82-day shorter length of stay and reduced in-patient mortality. Within the two groups, subgroup analysis was conducted, and results revealed that for patients with sepsis, harms were concentrated among older patients and patients with fewer comorbidities. In addition, for patients with respiratory failure, the benefits were concentrated among older patients, patients with higher lab-based acute physiology scores (“high acuity” patients), and patients with comorbidities. The study concluded that among sepsis patients with high acuity scores and not requiring life support in the emergency department, initial admission to the ward was associated with shorter length of stay and improved survival, compared to the same category of patients admitted to the ICU. This result differed from patients with acute respiratory failure, for whom triage to the ICU was associated with improved survival when compared to admission to the ward.
AHRQ-funded; HS026372.
Citation: Anesi GL, Liu VX, Chowdhury M .
Association of ICU admission and outcomes in sepsis and acute respiratory failure.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2022 Mar 1;205(5):520-28. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202106-1350OC..
Keywords: Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Sepsis, Respiratory Conditions, Outcomes
Fisher KA, Kennedy K, Bloomstone S
Can sharing clinic notes improve communication and promote self-management? A qualitative study of patients with COPD.
The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of physicians sharing their clinical notes with patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and assess the impact on patient-physician communication and patient self-management. The researchers conducted interviews with 30 patients with COPD, asking them to review their clinic notes. The participants were primarily White (93.3%) with an average age of 65.5 years; more than 50% reported having a high school degree or less, almost half reported sometimes requiring help to read medical materials, and half had challenges understanding spoken information. The study found that patients reported that having the clinic notes gave them an opportunity to learn more about their condition, and encouraged their self-management by reminding them of their action steps, serving as prompts for seeking information, and motivating them. Patients indicated positive reactions to those physician notes that implied their clinician considered them as a person, listened to them, and noticed details about them. The majority of patients reported negative reactions to incorrect information in the notes, wording that they considered disapproving, and medical terms. The study concluded that the act of providers sharing their clinical notes with their patients can serve multiple purposes, including encouraging the exchange of information and self-management, and improving the relationship between patients and providers.
AHRQ-funded; HS024596.
Citation: Fisher KA, Kennedy K, Bloomstone S .
Can sharing clinic notes improve communication and promote self-management? A qualitative study of patients with COPD.
Patient Educ Couns 2022 Mar;105(3):726-33. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.06.004..
Keywords: Respiratory Conditions, Chronic Conditions, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Patient Self-Management
Ferro DF, Bonafide CP, Fregene N
Parental insights into improving home pulse oximetry monitoring in infants.
Home pulse oximeters prescribed for infants with cardiorespiratory conditions can result in many false alarms, contributing to caregiver stress, sleep disturbance, and potentially unsafe practices. The impact of oximeters, alarms, and daily living demands on caregivers remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore parental perspectives on home pulse oximetry monitoring during the problem analysis phase of a quality improvement (QI) initiative. The researchers conducted interviews with a purposive sample of parents whose infants were prescribed home pulse oximeters and were receiving services from a local home care company. The interview questions were based on systems engineering frameworks previously applied in healthcare. Data were coded iteratively and analyzed using both deductive (theoretical frameworks) and inductive (emerging themes) approaches. The study found that the identified themes generally aligned with the theoretical frameworks. Parents expressed dissatisfaction with the frequent false alarms generated by home pulse oximeters, which they primarily attributed to inadequate probe adhesiveness and the devices' inability to account for infant movement. The interviews underscored the burden posed by poor device tones and limited portability. Device-related issues negatively affected the entire family in terms of sleep quality, mobility, and social interactions. All parents developed workarounds, including discontinuing monitoring. The researchers concluded that parents of infants using home pulse oximetry monitoring face numerous challenges, potentially compromising safety.
AHRQ-funded; HS026620.
Citation: Ferro DF, Bonafide CP, Fregene N .
Parental insights into improving home pulse oximetry monitoring in infants.
Pediatr Qual Saf 2022 Mar-Apr; 7(2):e538. doi: 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000538..
Keywords: Newborns/Infants, Respiratory Conditions
Zhang NJ, Rameau P, Julemis M
Automated pulmonary embolism risk assessment using the Wells criteria: validation study.
The authors sought to create an automated process to calculate the Wells score for pulmonary embolism for emergency department patients, which might reduce unnecessary computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) testing. They designed the process using electronic health records data elements, including free-text fields, and calculated Wells scores for a sample of adult emergency department visits that resulted in a CTPA study for pulmonary embolism at two tertiary care hospitals in New York. After validation, the authors concluded that the development of the automated process to classify risk for pulmonary embolism in emergency department visits was successful.
AHRQ-funded; HS026196.
Citation: Zhang NJ, Rameau P, Julemis M .
Automated pulmonary embolism risk assessment using the Wells criteria: validation study.
JMIR Form Res 2022 Feb 28;6(2):e32230. doi: 10.2196/32230.
Keywords: Blood Clots, Respiratory Conditions, Risk, Emergency Department
Jaladanki S, Schechter SB, Genies MC
Strategies for sustaining high-quality pediatric asthma care in community hospitals.
This study’s objective was to identify strategies associated with sustained guideline adherence and high-quality pediatric asthma care in community hospitals. Hospitals who were part of the Pathways for Improving Pediatric Asthma Care (PIPA) national quality improvement (QI) intervention were included. Clinicians (n = 19) involved in clinical care of children hospitalized with asthma were interviewed from five higher- and three lower-performing hospitals. Higher-performing hospitals had dedicated local champions who consistently provided reminders of evidence-based practices and delivered ongoing education. These champions also modified/developed electronic health record (EHR) tools. Lower-performing hospital clinicians described unique barriers, including delays in modifying the EHR and lack of automation of EHR tools. For all hospitals, barriers to sustainability included challenges with quality monitoring, decreasing focus of local champions over time, and ongoing difficulties developing around evidence-based practices.
AHRQ-funded; HS027041.
Citation: Jaladanki S, Schechter SB, Genies MC .
Strategies for sustaining high-quality pediatric asthma care in community hospitals.
Health Serv Res 2022 Feb;57(1):125-36. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13870..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Asthma, Respiratory Conditions, Chronic Conditions, Hospitals, Quality of Care
Kan K, Shaunfield S, Kanaley M
Health provider perspectives of electronic medication monitoring in outpatient asthma care: a qualitative investigation using the consolidated framework for implementation research.
This study’s objective was to quantitatively explore the experience of health providers using electronic medication monitoring (EMM) in pediatric outpatient asthma care. The authors conducted interviews with 10 health providers using the Consolidated Framework of Implementation Research (CFIR) on their EMM experience with asthma patients from 5 primary care or specialty clinics. The EMM tracked albuterol and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use. Health providers called parents whenever ICS adherence waned, or albuterol use increased. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and deductively analyzed. Most providers felt the intervention improved care delivery, but implementation of the intervention model would require additional employees to handle the increased administrative and clinical workload.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Kan K, Shaunfield S, Kanaley M .
Health provider perspectives of electronic medication monitoring in outpatient asthma care: a qualitative investigation using the consolidated framework for implementation research.
J Asthma 2022 Feb;59(2):342-51. doi: 10.1080/02770903.2020.1846745..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Asthma, Respiratory Conditions, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Medication, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Ginestra JC, Mitchell OJL, Anesi GL
COVID-19 critical illness: a data-driven review.
This paper is a data-driven review of COVID-19 critical illness, including the extreme demand for intensive care unit (ICU) resources and the rapidly evolving understanding of the disease. Almost one-third of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 experience critical illness. The most common type of organ failure experienced is acute hypoxic respiratory failure, which presents clinically as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in three-quarters of ICU patients. Management of ARDS in COVID-19 patients is similar to that of non-COVID-19 ARDS patients. Mortality rates have decreased over the course of the pandemic likely due to increasing disease familiarity, data-driven pharmacologics, and improved adherence to evidence-based critical care.
AHRQ-funded; HS026372.
Citation: Ginestra JC, Mitchell OJL, Anesi GL .
COVID-19 critical illness: a data-driven review.
Annu Rev Med 2022 Jan 27;73:95-111. doi: 10.1146/annurev-med-042420-110629..
Keywords: COVID-19, Critical Care, Respiratory Conditions, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Wickwire EM, Bailey MD, Somers VK
CPAP adherence is associated with reduced inpatient utilization among older adult Medicare beneficiaries with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy on health care utilization among a nationally representative and sample of older adults with multiple morbidities and pre-existing cardiovascular disease and subsequently diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea in the United States. The investigators concluded that in this nationally representative sample of older Medicare beneficiaries with multiple morbidities and relative to low adherers, high adherers demonstrated reduced inpatient utilization.
AHRQ-funded; HS024560.
Citation: Wickwire EM, Bailey MD, Somers VK .
CPAP adherence is associated with reduced inpatient utilization among older adult Medicare beneficiaries with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.
J Clin Sleep Med 2022 Jan;18(1):39-45. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.9478..
Keywords: Elderly, Medicare, Sleep Problems, Cardiovascular Conditions, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Hospitalization, Healthcare Utilization, Respiratory Conditions
Ong T, Onchiri FM, Britto MT
Impact of guideline-recommended dietitian assessments on weight gain in infants with cystic fibrosis.
This study’s purpose was to characterize nutrition management for infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) with inadequate weight gain and to assess association of dietitian assessments and center-level weight-for-age Z-scores (WAZ). Encounter data from 226 infants was used from across 28 US CF Centers from the Baby Observational Nutritional study between January 2012 through December 2017. The authors identified dietitian assessments and consensus guideline-recommended responses to inadequate weight gain: calorie increases, pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) increases, or shortened time to next visit. They compared center assessments by funnel plot and summarized median WAZ by center. Of 2,527 visits, 808 visits had identified inadequate weight gain, distributed in 216 infants. Assessments occurred in 77% of visits but varied widely between centers (range 17% - 98%). They used funnel plot analysis to identify high-performers for frequent dietitian assessments (range 92% - 98%) and 4 under-performers (range 17% - 56%). High-performers treated inadequate weight gain more often with adequate calories (80% vs 52%) and closer follow-up (63% vs 49%) compared to underperformers. Three of 4 high-performing sites met center nutrition goals for positive median WAZ at 2 years old unlike 3 under-performers, despite similar patient characteristics.
AHRQ-funded; HS026393.
Citation: Ong T, Onchiri FM, Britto MT .
Impact of guideline-recommended dietitian assessments on weight gain in infants with cystic fibrosis.
J Cyst Fibros 2022 Jan; 21(1):115-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2021.08.005..
Keywords: Newborns/Infants, Respiratory Conditions, Chronic Conditions, Nutrition, Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines
Natarajan E, Florin TA, Constantinou C
What is the role of shared decision-making with parents of children with bronchiolitis?
The authors sought to study shared decision making (SDM) with parents of children with bronchiolitis. They discussed challenges to implementation and indicated that use of SDM with parents of children with bronchiolitis can improve patient-centered care by aligning medical decisions with informed parents’ values and preferences.
AHRQ-funded; HS026006.
Citation: Natarajan E, Florin TA, Constantinou C .
What is the role of shared decision-making with parents of children with bronchiolitis?
Hosp Pediatr 2022 Jan;12(1):e50-e53. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2021-006245.
.
.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Shared Decision Making, Respiratory Conditions
Andrews AL, Brinton DL, Simpson AN
A comparison of administrative claims-based risk predictors for pediatric asthma.
This retrospective cohort study used 2013-2014 MarketScan Medicaid data to compare administrative claims-based risk predictors of emergency department (ED) visits for pediatric asthma. The cohort included were children aged 2 to 17 years. Seven risk predictors were compared for 3-month subsequent ED visits/hospitalizations: 3-month rolling asthma medication ratio (AMR), Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) criteria, revised HEDIS criteria, quarterly short-acting β-agonist (SABA) claims, prior ED visit, prior hospitalization, and prior ED visit or hospitalization. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value (PPV and NPV), and percentage of population identified as high risk were compared for each risk predictor utilization the McNemar test. Cohort total population was 214,452 children with a mean age of 7.8 years. HEDIS and revised HEDIS identified prohibitively large cohorts as high-risk (67% and 48%). For the remaining measures, the NPV range was 97% to 99%, indicating high performance at identifying patients who would not benefit from intervention using AMR and SABA count. Superior sensitivities were found for ED visit and ED/hospitalization measures compared with pharmacy claims-based measures.
AHRQ-funded; HS026783.
Citation: Andrews AL, Brinton DL, Simpson AN .
A comparison of administrative claims-based risk predictors for pediatric asthma.
Am J Manag Care 2021 Dec;27(12):533-37. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2021.88792..
Keywords: Asthma, Respiratory Conditions, Chronic Conditions, Risk