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
- Communication (2)
- Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) (1)
- COVID-19 (1)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (3)
- Health Information Exchange (HIE) (1)
- (-) Health Information Technology (HIT) (8)
- Hospitalization (1)
- Hospital Readmissions (1)
- (-) Hospitals (8)
- Inpatient Care (1)
- Patient Experience (1)
- Provider: Physician (1)
- Provider Performance (2)
- Quality Indicators (QIs) (2)
- Quality Measures (2)
- Quality of Care (3)
- Telehealth (1)
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
1 to 8 of 8 Research Studies DisplayedLafferty M, Harrod M, Krein S
It's like sending a message in a bottle: a qualitative study of the consequences of one-way communication technologies in hospitals.
Researchers examined how physicians and nurses use available communication technologies and identify the implications for communication and patient care based on the theory of workarounds. They found that one-way communication technologies created an environment where workarounds could flourish. By placing results within the context of the theory of workarounds, they extended what is known about why and how workarounds develop, and they offered strategies to minimize workarounds' adverse effects. They concluded that two-way communication technologies could minimize workarounds and gaps in information exchange and could reduce unnecessary interruptions and the potential for adverse events.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2021 Nov 25;28(12):2601-07. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocab191.
Citation: Lafferty M, Harrod M, Krein S .
It's like sending a message in a bottle: a qualitative study of the consequences of one-way communication technologies in hospitals.
AHRQ-funded; HS022305..
Keywords: Hospitals, Communication, Health Information Technology (HIT), Provider: Physician
Fowler FJ, Brenner PS, Hargraves JL
Comparing web and mail protocols for administering Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems surveys.
This study’s objective was to compare results of using web-based and mail HCAHPS data collection protocols. The cohort included patients who were hospitalized in a New England Hospital. Patients who provided email addresses were randomized to 1 of 3 data collection protocols: web-only, web with postal mail follow-up, and postal mail only. Those who did not provide email addresses were surveyed by postal mail only. The study lasted 8 weeks. Measures looked at included response rates, characteristics of respondents, 6 composite measures of their patient experiences, and two ratings of the hospital. Web-only response rates were significantly lower than for mail or combined protocols, and those who had not provided email addresses also had lower response rates. Older adults over age 65 were more likely to respond to all protocols, especially for mail-only respondents. Respondents without email addresses were older, less educated, and reported worse health than those who had email addresses.
AHRQ-funded; HS016978.
Citation: Fowler FJ, Brenner PS, Hargraves JL .
Comparing web and mail protocols for administering Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems surveys.
Med Care 2021 Oct;59(10):907-12. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001627..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Hospitals, Health Information Technology (HIT), Quality Measures, Provider Performance, Quality of Care
Holmgren AJ, Kuznetsova M, Classen D
Assessing hospital electronic health record vendor performance across publicly reported quality measures.
The authors measured hospital performance, stratified by electronic health record (EHR) vendor, across 4 quality metrics. They found that no EHR vendor was associated with higher quality across all measures, and the 2 largest vendors were not associated with the highest scores. Only a small fraction of quality variation was explained by EHR vendor choice. They concluded that top performance on quality measures can be achieved with any EHR vendor, as much of quality performance is driven by the hospital and how it uses the EHR.
AHRQ-funded; HS023696.
Citation: Holmgren AJ, Kuznetsova M, Classen D .
Assessing hospital electronic health record vendor performance across publicly reported quality measures.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2021 Sep 18;28(10):2101-07. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocab120..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality Measures, Hospitals, Quality of Care, Provider Performance
Apathy NC, Holmgren AJ, Adler-Milstein J
A decade post-HITECH: critical access hospitals have electronic health records but struggle to keep up with other advanced functions.
This study compared electronic health record (EHR) adoption and advanced use over time at critical access hospitals (CAHs) and non-CAHs. Data used was 2008 to 2018 American Hospital Information Technology survey data to update national EHR adoption statistics. In 2018, almost 100% (98.3%) of hospitals had adopted EHRs with no difference by CAH status. More than half had adopted advanced patient engagement (PE) and clinical data analytics (CDA). CAHs were less likely to adopt both advanced uses. This digital divide prevents CAH patients from benefitting from a fully digitized healthcare system.
AHRQ-funded; HS026116.
Citation: Apathy NC, Holmgren AJ, Adler-Milstein J .
A decade post-HITECH: critical access hospitals have electronic health records but struggle to keep up with other advanced functions.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2021 Aug 13;28(9):1947-54. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocab102..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Hospitals
Pylypchuk Y, Barker W, Encinosa W
AHRQ Author: Encinosa W
Impact of the 2015 Health Information Technology Certification Edition on interoperability among hospitals.
Most nonfederal acute care hospitals use electronic health records (EHRs) certified by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. In 2015, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology finalized the 2015 Health IT Certification Edition and adoption by hospitals began in 2016. In this study, the investigators examined the impact of the 2015 Edition on rates of interoperable exchange among nonfederal acute hospitals.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Pylypchuk Y, Barker W, Encinosa W .
Impact of the 2015 Health Information Technology Certification Edition on interoperability among hospitals.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2021 Aug 13;28(9):1866-73. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocab083..
Keywords: Health Information Exchange (HIE), Health Information Technology (HIT), Hospitals
Legler S, Diehl M, Hilliard B
Evaluation of an intrahospital telemedicine program for patients admitted with COVID-19: mixed methods study.
This pilot study’s objective was to evaluate an intrahospital telemedicine program along with its impact on exposure risk and communication for patients admitted with COVID-19. Virtual care was the main primary exposure variable and patient characteristics, PPE use rates, and their association with virtual care were assessed. Out of 137 total patients in their primary analysis, 43 patients used virtual care. There were 82 inpatient days of use, and 401 inpatient days without use. Surveys of 41 patients and clinicians showed high rates of recommendation for further use. A significant reduction in PPE use and physical exam rate was associated with virtual care. However, there are limitations in usability, medical assessment, and empathetic communication.
AHRQ-funded; HS026732.
Citation: Legler S, Diehl M, Hilliard B .
Evaluation of an intrahospital telemedicine program for patients admitted with COVID-19: mixed methods study.
J Med Internet Res 2021 Apr 29;23(4):e25987. doi: 10.2196/25987..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Hospitals, Hospitalization, Communication, COVID-19
Elysee G, Yu H, Herrin J
Association between 30-day readmission rates and health information technology capabilities in US hospitals.
A study was conducted to determine if there is an association of health information technology (HIT) adoption and a decrease in 30-day hospital readmission rates. Data was used from the 2013 American Hospital Association IT survey which included non-federal U.S. acute care hospitals with self-reported capabilities. A 54-indicator 7-factor structure of hospital health IT capabilities was identified by exploratory factor analysis. A one-point increase in the hospital adoption of patient engagement capability latent scores generally leads to a 0.086% decrease in risk-standardized readmission rates (RSRRs). However, computerized hospital discharge and information exchange among clinicians did not seem as beneficial.
AHRQ-funded; HS022882.
Citation: Elysee G, Yu H, Herrin J .
Association between 30-day readmission rates and health information technology capabilities in US hospitals.
Medicine 2021 Feb 26;100(8):e24755. doi: 10.1097/md.0000000000024755..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality of Care
Haldar S, Khelifi M, Mishra SR
Designing inpatient portals to support patient agency and dynamic hospital experiences.
Inpatient portals could help patients engage in their hospital care, yet several design, usability, and adoption issues prevent this technology from fulfilling its potential. Despite patients having needs that extend beyond the scope of existing inpatient portals, we know less about how to design such portals that support them. To learn about effective designs, the investigators created three mid-fidelity prototypes representing novel approaches for inpatient portal design.
AHRQ-funded; HS022894.
Citation: Haldar S, Khelifi M, Mishra SR .
Designing inpatient portals to support patient agency and dynamic hospital experiences.
AMIA Annu Symp Proc 2021 Jan 25;2021:524-33..
Keywords: Patient Experience, Inpatient Care, Health Information Technology (HIT), Hospitals