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 110 Research Studies DisplayedWachnik AA, Welch-Coltrane JL, Adams MCB
A standardized emergency department order set decreases admission rates and in-patient length of stay for adults patients with sickle cell disease.
The purpose of this 3-year prospective analysis study was to assess a quality improvement project to standardize Emergency Department (ED) care for patients presenting with pain associated with sickle cell disease (SCD). IN 2019 the researchers implemented an ED order set in to improve care and provide adequate management of analgesia. The primary outcome was the overall hospital admission rate for patients after the intervention, and the secondary outcome measures included ED disposition, rate of return to the ED within 72 hours, ED pain scores at admission and discharge, ED treatment time, in-patient length of stay, non-opioid medication use, and opioid medication use. The study found an overall 67% reduction in the hospital admission rate after implementation of the order set and a significant decrease in the percentage admission rate month over month. Time to the first non-opioid analgesic decreased by 71 minutes and there was no change in time to the first opioid medication. The rate of return to the ED within 72 hours did not change and the ED elopement rate did not change. There were significant increases in the prescribing of orally administered acetaminophen, celecoxib, and tizanidine, and intravenous ketamine and ketorolac. ED pain scores at discharge did not change for hospital-admitted and non-admitted patients. The possible reduction in costs was $193,440 during the 12-month observation period, and the average cost per visit decreased by $792. The researchers concluded that the ED order set decreased the rate of hospital admissions and the timeliness of analgesia administration without having a negative impact on the pain of the patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS028584.
Citation: Wachnik AA, Welch-Coltrane JL, Adams MCB .
A standardized emergency department order set decreases admission rates and in-patient length of stay for adults patients with sickle cell disease.
Pain Med 2022 Dec;23(12):2050-60. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnac096..
Keywords: Sickle Cell Disease, Emergency Department, Hospitalization
Soltani Batt, RJ Bavafa, H
Does what happens in the ED stay in the ED? The effects of emergency department physician workload on post-ed care use.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Emergency Department (ED) crowding on the performance of systems outside of the ED: specifically, on the use of post-ED care. The researchers also examined the mediating effects of care intensity in the ED on post-ED use of care. The study utilized microdata from a large U.S. hospital dataset gathered from over four years of exhaustive billing data in an integrated health system. The study found that when ED provider workload increased from the 5th percentile to the median, the number of medical services for patients who were discharged home from the ED increased by 5% and was stable after. The researchers also discovered that when a physician is busier, they order a greater number of tests for patients who are less severe. The study concluded that "extra" testing by providers results in "extra" post-ED care use for those patients, and that earlier studies estimating the cost of ED crowding underestimate the actual effect, because they do not take into account the "extra" post-ED care use.
AHRQ-funded; HS024558.
Citation: Soltani Batt, RJ Bavafa, H .
Does what happens in the ED stay in the ED? The effects of emergency department physician workload on post-ed care use.
Manuf Serv Oper Manag 2022 Nov-Dec;24(6):3079-98. doi: 10.1287/msom.2022.1110..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Healthcare Utilization
James TG, Miller MD, McKee MM
Emergency department condition acuity, length of stay, and revisits among deaf and hard-of-hearing patients: a retrospective chart review.
This study assessed emergency department (ED) condition acuity, length of stay (LOS), and acute ED revisits among deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) patients. Findings identified that DHH American Sign Language users have longer ED LOS than non-DHH English-speakers.
AHRQ-funded; HS027537.
Citation: James TG, Miller MD, McKee MM .
Emergency department condition acuity, length of stay, and revisits among deaf and hard-of-hearing patients: a retrospective chart review.
Acad Emerg Med 2022 Nov;29(11):1290-300. doi: 10.1111/acem.14573..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Disabilities, Vulnerable Populations
Ostrovsky D, Novack V, Smulowitz PB
Perspectives of emergency clinicians about medical errors resulting in patient harm or malpractice litigation.
This cross-sectional study examined survey responses about medical error outcomes completed by emergency department attending physicians and advanced practice clinicians regarding what might be considered excessive testing. The authors surveyed 1222 clinicians and the mean score was greater for fear of harm to patients than fear of a malpractice suit. This finding was true regardless of clinician subtype, experience, or sex.
AHRQ-funded; HS026730.
Citation: Ostrovsky D, Novack V, Smulowitz PB .
Perspectives of emergency clinicians about medical errors resulting in patient harm or malpractice litigation.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Nov;5(11):e2241461. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.41461..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Medical Errors, Adverse Events, Patient Safety
Scott Scott, Kempe A, Bajaj L
"These are our kids": qualitative interviews with clinical leaders in general emergency departments on motivations, processes, and guidelines in pediatric sepsis care.
Researchers sought to identify barriers and facilitators to pediatric sepsis care in general emergency departments (EDs), including care processes, the role of guidelines, and incentivized metrics. They interviewed medical directors, nurse managers, and quality coordinators. They found that leaders in general EDs were motivated to provide high-quality pediatric sepsis care but disagreed on whether reportable metrics would drive improvements. Leaders universally sought direct support from their nearest children's hospitals and actionable guidelines.
AHRQ-funded; HS025696.
Citation: Scott Scott, Kempe A, Bajaj L .
"These are our kids": qualitative interviews with clinical leaders in general emergency departments on motivations, processes, and guidelines in pediatric sepsis care.
Ann Emerg Med 2022 Oct;80(4):347-57. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2022.05.030..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Sepsis, Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice
Hoonakker PLT, Carayon P, Brown RL
A systematic review of the Consumer Emergency Care Satisfaction Scale (CECSS).
In this study, researchers systematically reviewed the literature on the Consumer Emergency Care Satisfaction Scale (CECSS) and examined its psychometric properties. Their systematic literature search resulted in 28 articles in which the CECSS was used, demonstrating that, from a psychometric perspective, the CECSS is a valid and reliable instrument. However, their study also showed that the CECSS has several weaknesses, and they made recommendations for its improvement.
AHRQ-funded; HS026624.
Citation: Hoonakker PLT, Carayon P, Brown RL .
A systematic review of the Consumer Emergency Care Satisfaction Scale (CECSS).
J Nurs Care Qual 2022 Oct-Dec;37(4):349-55. doi: 10.1097/ncq.0000000000000636..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Patient Experience
Shah W, Villaflores CW, Chuong LH
Association between in-person vs telehealth follow-up and rates of repeated hospital visits among patients seen in the emergency department.
This study investigated whether the rates of emergency department (ED) return visits and hospitalization differ between patients who obtain in-person versus telehealth encounters for post-ED follow-up care. This retrospective cohort study included adult patients who came to either of 2 in-system EDs of a single urban integrated academic system from April 2020 to September 2021, were discharged home, and obtained a follow-up appointment with a primary care physician within 14 days of their index ED visit. Overall, the study recorded 12,848 patients with 16,987 ED encounters (mean age 53 years; 57% women, 12% Black or African American; 22% Hispanic or Latinx; and 58% White) included. Overall, 17% of initial ED encounters led to returns to the ED, and 4% subsequent hospitalizations. Telehealth vs in-person follow-up visits were associated with increased rates of ED returns (28.3 more ED returns per 1000 encounters) and hospitalizations (10.6 more hospitalizations per 1000 encounters).
AHRQ-funded; HS026372.
Citation: Shah W, Villaflores CW, Chuong LH .
Association between in-person vs telehealth follow-up and rates of repeated hospital visits among patients seen in the emergency department.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Oct;5(10):e2237783. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.37783..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Emergency Department, Healthcare Utilization, Hospitals
Dutta S, McEvoy DS, Rubins DM
Clinical decision support improves blood culture collection before intravenous antibiotic administration in the emergency department.
This paper discusses the outcomes of using a clinical decision support (CDS) tool that was implemented in emergency departments (EDs) for sepsis patients to remind healthcare staff to take blood cultures before administration of intravenous (IV) antibiotics. The study compared timely blood culture collection outcomes prior to IV antibiotics for 54,538 adult ED patients 1 year before and after a CDS intervention implementation in the electronic health record. The baseline phase found that 46.1% had blood cultures prior to IV antibiotics, compared to 58.8% after the intervention. The CDS improved blood culture collection rates without increasing overutilization.
AHRQ-funded; HS02717.
Citation: Dutta S, McEvoy DS, Rubins DM .
Clinical decision support improves blood culture collection before intravenous antibiotic administration in the emergency department.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2022 Sep 12;29(10):1705-14. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocac115..
Keywords: Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Health Information Technology (HIT), Antibiotics, Emergency Department, Medication, Sepsis
Odeh Couvertier V, Patterson Patterson, Zayas-Cabán G
Association between advanced image ordered in the emergency department on subsequent imaging for abdominal pain patients.
The purpose of this retrospective, observational study was to evaluate abdominal pain patients discharged from the ED to determine the association between advanced emergency department (ED) imaging on subsequent outpatient imaging and on revisits. The researchers utilized the electronic health records of Medicare patients who presented with a complaint of abdominal pain at a United States academic emergency department. The study found that participants who were not imaged at the ED had significantly higher adjusted odds of being imaged outside of the ED within 7, 14, and 28 days of being discharged, and had a significantly higher adjusted odds of returning to the study ED and visiting any ED within 30 days of being discharged. The study concluded that receiving abdominal imaging services in the ED was related with significantly lower imaging use after discharge.
AHRQ-funded; HS024558.
Citation: Odeh Couvertier V, Patterson Patterson, Zayas-Cabán G .
Association between advanced image ordered in the emergency department on subsequent imaging for abdominal pain patients.
Acad Emerg Med 2022 Sep;29(9):1078-83. doi: 10.1111/acem.14541..
Keywords: Imaging, Emergency Department, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Hospital Readmissions
Bell N, Lòpez-De Fede A, Cai B
Geographic proximity to primary care providers as a risk-assessment criterion for quality performance measures.
This retrospective cohort study examined geographic proximity to primary care providers as a risk-assessment criterion for quality performance measures for pediatric patients with either attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD, ages 6-12) or asthma (MMA, ages 5-18) defined using Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) performance measures. The authors investigated differences in avoidable and potentially avoidable ED visits by the beneficiary's primary care medical home (PCMH) attribution type and in relation to differences in proximity to their primary care providers versus hospitals. There was a 2.4 percentage point reduction in risk of avoidable emergency department (ED) visits among children in the ADD cohort who attended a PCMH versus those who did not which increased to 3.9 to 7.2 percentage points as relative proximity to primary care providers versus hospitals improved. Children in the ADD and MMA cohorts who were enrolled in a PCMH but did not attend one for primary care services exhibited a 5.4 and 3.0 percentage point increase in avoidable ED visits compared to children who were unenrolled and did not attend medical homes, but these differences were only observed when geographic proximity to hospitals was more convenient than primary care providers.
AHRQ-funded; HS026263.
Citation: Bell N, Lòpez-De Fede A, Cai B .
Geographic proximity to primary care providers as a risk-assessment criterion for quality performance measures.
PLoS One 2022 Sep 6;17(9):e0273805. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273805..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Primary Care, Asthma, Medicaid, Emergency Department
Encinosa W, Lane K, Cornelio N
AHRQ Author: Encinosa W
How state surprise billing protections increased ED visits, 2007-2018: potential implications for the No Surprises Act.
This article discusses the 2022 No Surprises Act whose goal was to prevent patients from receiving unexpected emergency department (ED) out-of-network physician bills and restrict out-of-network co-payments to in-network co-payment levels. Similar state bans were examined to determine whether the large reduction in out-of-pocket payments under bans will have an unintended consequence of an increase in ED visits and spending. The authors examined 16 million nonelderly, fully funded, privately insured health maintenance organization (HMO) enrollees between 2007 and 2018 from 15 states with balance billing bans for HMO ED visits and 16 states without bans as the control group. They found that the bans reduced spending per visit by 14% but spurred a demand response with an increase of 3 percentage points in ED visits which wiped away the cost savings. The authors predict that the federal ban will result in $5.1 billion in savings but 3.5 million more ED visits at $4.2 billion in extra spending per year, largely negating expected savings.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; HS027698.
Citation: Encinosa W, Lane K, Cornelio N .
How state surprise billing protections increased ED visits, 2007-2018: potential implications for the No Surprises Act.
Am J Manag Care 2022 Sep;28(9):e333-e38. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2022.89226..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Emergency Department, Policy, 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
Shankar LG, Habich M, Rosenman M
Mental health emergency department visits by children before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Investigators described pediatric mental health emergency department (ED) visit rates and visit characteristics before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. They found that mental health ED visit rates by children increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Shankar LG, Habich M, Rosenman M .
Mental health emergency department visits by children before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Acad Pediatr 2022 Sep-Oct;22(7):1127-32. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2022.05.022..
Keywords: COVID-19, Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Behavioral Health, Healthcare Utilization, Public Health
Cutler GJ, Bergmann KR, Doupnik SK
Pediatric mental health emergency department visits and access to Inpatient care: a crisis worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The purpose of this study was to explore the author’s previous research findings on trends in pediatric emergency department (ED) visits for mental health (MH) vs non-mental health in light of more recent related data corresponding with the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found that recent research supports the dramatic increase in pediatric MH ED visits found in the author’s previous research and provides additional evidence that the increase has been driven by specific MH diagnoses. The researchers conclude that depressive disorders, self-harm behavior, and non-alcohol substance use disorders should be prioritized for the development of ED- and hospital-based strategies, and that EDs, hospitals, health systems, and the government urgently need to increase capacity for MH services and identify innovative solutions to improve access to high quality MH care for children.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Cutler GJ, Bergmann KR, Doupnik SK .
Pediatric mental health emergency department visits and access to Inpatient care: a crisis worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Acad Pediatr 2022 Aug;22(6):889-91. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2022.03.015..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Behavioral Health, Emergency Department, Access to Care, Public Health, Inpatient Care
Pickens G, Smith MW, McDermott KW
Trends in treatment costs of U.S. emergency department visits.
In recent years, emergency department (ED) spending has been increasing more than in other areas of health care. Few studies have focused on changes in ED treatment costs. The purpose of this study was to analyze recent increases in emergency department treatment costs to highlight possibilities for reducing the growth of overall hospital costs. The researchers used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) and applied Cost-to-Charge Ratios for ED Files to the HCUP Nationwide Emergency Department Sample for 2012 through 2019. The study found that ED treatment costs experienced a 5.4% annual growth rate, increasing from $54 billion to $88 billion, with higher treatment cost per visit responsible for 4.4 of those percentage points. The researchers concluded that the study provides valuable information for decision- and policy-makers by bringing attention to components of the healthcare delivery system with the highest increasing costs as well as trends in overall ED costs.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201800001C.
Citation: Pickens G, Smith MW, McDermott KW .
Trends in treatment costs of U.S. emergency department visits.
Am J Emerg Med 2022 Aug;58:89-94. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2022.05.035..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Healthcare Costs, Emergency Department
Hinson JS, Klein E, Smith A
Multisite implementation of a workflow-integrated machine learning system to optimize COVID-19 hospital admission decisions.
This study’s objective was to develop, implement, and evaluate an electronic health record (EHR) embedded clinical decision support (CDS) system that leveraged machine learning (ML) to estimate short-term risk for clinical deterioration in patients with or under investigation for COVID-19. The system translates model-generated risk for critical care needs within 24 hours and inpatient care needs within 72 hours into rapidly interpretable COVID-19 Deterioration Risk Levels made viewable within ED clinician workflow. A retrospective cohort of 21,452 ED patients who visited one of five ED study sites was used to derive ML models and were prospectively validated in 15,670 ED visits that occurred before (n = 4322) or after (n = 11,348) CDS implementation. Model performance and numerous patient-oriented outcomes including in-hospital mortality were measured across study periods. ML model performance was excellent under all conditions. AUC ranged from 0.85 to 0.91 for prediction of critical care needs and 0.80-0.90 for inpatient care needs. Total mortality was unchanged across study periods but was reduced among high-risk patients after the implementation.
AHRQ-funded; HS026640.
Citation: Hinson JS, Klein E, Smith A .
Multisite implementation of a workflow-integrated machine learning system to optimize COVID-19 hospital admission decisions.
NPJ Digit Med 2022 Jul 16;5(1):94. doi: 10.1038/s41746-022-00646-1..
Keywords: COVID-19, Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Health Information Technology (HIT), Implementation, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Emergency Department, Shared Decision Making
Doty AM, Rising KL, Hsiao T
"Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you": how resident physicians communicate diagnostic uncertainty to patients during emergency department discharge.
This study’s objective was to describe how emergency medicine resident physicians discuss diagnostic uncertainty during a simulated emergency department (ED) discharge discussion. Most residents in the simulation explained the evaluation revealed no cause for symptoms, noted concerning diagnoses that were excluded, and acknowledged both symptoms and patients’ feelings. However, 28% of residents did not discuss diagnostic uncertainty in any form. All residents were reassuring. Those who did discuss diagnostic uncertainty used explicit and implicit language with similar frequency.
AHRQ-funded; HS025651.
Citation: Doty AM, Rising KL, Hsiao T .
"Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you": how resident physicians communicate diagnostic uncertainty to patients during emergency department discharge.
Patient Educ Couns 2022 Jul;105(7):2053-57. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.12.002..
Keywords: Clinician-Patient Communication, Emergency Department, Communication, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Hoffmann JA, Johnson JK, Pergjika A
Development of quality measures for pediatric agitation management in the emergency department.
This study’s objective was to develop quality measures for pediatric emergency department (ED) agitation management informed by multidisciplinary perspectives. A multidisciplinary panel was created to develop quality measures for pediatric ED agitation management through the modified Delphi method. The panelists included 36 physicians, nurses, social workers, security, child life specialists, hospital data analysts, and parents. Measures were ranked by panelists in importance and feasibility on a 9-point scale during 2 survey rounds, with a teleconference discussion between surveys. Consensus was defined at >75% of panelists ranking a quality measure greater or equal to 7 in importance and median feasibility of greater or equal to 4. Consensus was reached on 20 quality measures that incorporated multidisciplinary perspectives.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Hoffmann JA, Johnson JK, Pergjika A .
Development of quality measures for pediatric agitation management in the emergency department.
J Healthc Qual 2022 Jul-Aug;44(4):218-29. doi: 10.1097/jhq.0000000000000339..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Quality Measures, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality of Care, Emergency Department
James TG, McKee MM, Miller MD
Emergency department utilization among deaf and hard-of-hearing patients: a retrospective chart review.
This retrospective study investigated the differences in emergency department (ED) utilization among deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) patients compared to non-DHH patients. A chart review was conducted using data from a large academic medical center in the southeastern United States. A total of 277 DHH ASL-users, 1000 DHH English speakers, and 1000 non-DHH English speakers were included. DHH ASL users and DHH English speakers had higher adjusted odds ratio of using the ED in the past 36 months than non-DHH English speakers. Abdominal pain was the most common principal diagnosis code for DHH English speakers.
AHRQ-funded; HS027537.
Citation: James TG, McKee MM, Miller MD .
Emergency department utilization among deaf and hard-of-hearing patients: a retrospective chart review.
Disabil Health J 2022 Jul;15(3):101327. doi: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2022.101327..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Disabilities
Ward MJ, Shuster JL, Mohr NM
Implementation of telehealth for psychiatric care in VA emergency departments and urgent care clinics.
The purpose of this AHRQ-funded, mixed-methods study was to evaluate an emergency telehealth intervention in emergency department (ED) and urgent care clinic (UCC) settings within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in March 2020. The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework was utilized to compare the 3 months preimplementation of the telehealth intervention (December 1, 2019 through February 29, 2020) with the 3 months postimplementation of the telehealth intervention (April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020), and then assess sustainability through January 31, 2021. Qualitative data from surveys and semistructured interviews were conducted and analyze. The telemental health intervention was used in 83% (319) of unscheduled mental health consultations in the postimplementation phase, with no adverse trends in length of stay, 7-day revisits, or 30-day mortality. In the sustainability phase, use of the intervention was high with 82% (n = 1,010) of all unscheduled mental health consultations performed by telemental health. The study concluded that the use of unscheduled telemental health intervention was highly acceptable and sustainable in ED and UCC settings and did not impact the safety and efficacy of mental health consultations.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Ward MJ, Shuster JL, Mohr NM .
Implementation of telehealth for psychiatric care in VA emergency departments and urgent care clinics.
Telemed J E Health 2022 Jul;28(7):985-93. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0263..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Behavioral Health, Emergency Department
Balamuth F, Scott HF, Weiss SL
Validation of the pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score and evaluation of Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock Definitions in the pediatric emergency department.
This study analyzed whether a measure used to quantity organ dysfunction, the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) in adults can also be used for critically ill children in an emergency department (ED) population. This retrospective cohort study took place in 9 US children’s hospitals included in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN registry from January 2012 to January 31, 2020. A score of 2 or more can indicate an infection. Almost 4 million ED visits were included, with 3.2% having a pSOFA score of 2 or more. The pSOFA score showed poor sensitivity as a screening tool for hospital mortality but children with a pSOfA score of 2 or less were at very low risk of death, with high specificity and negative predictive value.
AHRQ-funded; HS020270.
Citation: Balamuth F, Scott HF, Weiss SL .
Validation of the pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score and evaluation of Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock Definitions in the pediatric emergency department.
JAMA Pediatr 2022 Jul;176(7):672-78. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.1301..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Sepsis, Emergency Department
Probst MA, Janke AT, Haimovich AD
Development of a novel emergency department quality measure to reduce very low-risk syncope hospitalizations.
The purpose of this study was to develop a new quality measure to apply with very low risk adult emergency department patients under 50 years of age and with no history of heart disease presenting with syncope. The study found that of the 3,292 patients meeting the study criteria, .46% suffered serious adverse events within 30 days after discharge. When the criteria were applied to the 2019 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) to assess its potential effect (assessing for hospital-level factors associated with hospitalization variation), of the 566,031 patients meeting the criteria, 2.7% were hospitalized. The researchers identified factors associated with increased hospitalization rates, which included a yearly ED volume of more than 80,000 and metropolitan teaching status. The study concluded that the novel syncope quality measure developed by the researchers can evaluate variation in low-value hospitalizations for unexplained syncope.
AHRQ-funded; HS022882.
Citation: Probst MA, Janke AT, Haimovich AD .
Development of a novel emergency department quality measure to reduce very low-risk syncope hospitalizations.
Ann Emerg Med 2022 Jun;79(6):509-17. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2022.03.008..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Quality Measures, Hospitalization, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality of Care
Kim HS, Muschong KM, Fishman IL KM, Fishman IL
Embedded emergency department physical therapy versus usual care for acute low back pain: a protocol for the NEED-PT randomised trial.
This protocol paper discusses a study that will evaluate outcomes of having an embedded physical therapist in the emergency department (ED) for patients experiencing acute low back pain. The desired outcome is lower patient-reported opioid use post-discharge. The study will enroll patients with acute low back pain at an urban academic ED in Chicago, Illinois. This case-control study will randomize patients to either the embedded physical therapy or the usual care. The authors will follow the patients to a primary endpoint of 3 months and compare a primary outcome of change in PROMIS-Pain Interference score and secondary outcomes of change in modified Oswestry Disability Index score and patient-reported opioid use.
AHRQ-funded; HS027426.
Citation: Kim HS, Muschong KM, Fishman IL KM, Fishman IL .
Embedded emergency department physical therapy versus usual care for acute low back pain: a protocol for the NEED-PT randomised trial.
BMJ Open 2022 May 24;12(5):e061283. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061283..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Back Health and Pain, Pain
Newgard CD, Lin A, Caughey AB
Falls in older adults requiring emergency services: mortality, use of healthcare resources, and prognostication to one year.
The purpose of this study was to assess the prognoses, healthcare use, transitions to skilled nursing or hospice, and mortality of older, community-living adults after a fall. The researchers conducted a secondary analysis of all adults in 7 Northwest U.S. counties greater than or equal to 65 years of age who had been transported to one of 51 hospitals after a fall. The study analyzed Medicare claims, state trauma registry data, state inpatient data, and death records for outcomes which included healthcare use, new claims for skilled nursing and hospice for one year, and mortality. The researchers found that in 3,159 older adults there were 147 deaths within 30 days and 665 deaths within one year, and the following predictors of mortality: respiratory diagnosis, serious brain injury, having a baseline disability, or a score of greater than or equal to 2 on the Charlson Comorbidity Index. The study concluded that in the year after experiencing a fall, community-living older adults who require ambulance transport to the hospital have increases in institutionalized living, the utilization of health care, and mortality.
AHRQ-funded; HS023796.
Citation: Newgard CD, Lin A, Caughey AB .
Falls in older adults requiring emergency services: mortality, use of healthcare resources, and prognostication to one year.
West J Emerg Med 2022 May 14;23(3):375-85. doi: 10.5811/westjem.2021.11.54327..
Keywords: Elderly, Falls, Emergency Department, Mortality, Healthcare Utilization
Green RK, Shah MN, Clark LR
Comparing emergency department use among individuals with varying levels of cognitive impairment.
This study compared the frequency of emergency department (ED) use among a cohort of individuals with mild to well-defined cognitive impairment. This retrospective cohort study of English-speaking, community-dwelling individuals was conducted at four health system-based multidisciplinary clinics from 2014 to 2016. The authors obtained demographic and clinical data, including neuropsychological testing results, through chart review and linkage to electronic health record data. They characterized the frequency and quantity of ED use within one year (6 months before and after) of cognitive evaluation and compared ED use between the three groups using bivariate and multivariate approaches. Of the 779 eligible patients, 89 were diagnosed as cognitively intact, 372 as having mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 318 as having Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD). The proportion of subjects with any annual ED use did not significantly increase with greater cognitive impairment. The average number of ED visits also did not increase significantly with patients with MCI or ADRD having an elevated but non-significant risk of an ED visit compared to cognitively intact individuals.
AHRQ-funded; HS024558.
Citation: Green RK, Shah MN, Clark LR .
Comparing emergency department use among individuals with varying levels of cognitive impairment.
BMC Geriatr 2022 May 2;22(1):382. doi: 10.1186/s12877-022-03093-5..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Neurological Disorders, Healthcare Utilization