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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 6 of 6 Research Studies DisplayedMullens CL, Lussiez A, Scott JW
Association of health professional shortage area hospital designation with surgical outcomes and expenditures among Medicare beneficiaries.
This study’s objective was to compare surgical outcomes and expenditures at hospitals located in Health Professional Shortage Areas to nonshortage area designated hospitals among Medicare beneficiaries. This cross-sectional retrospective study used data from 842,787 Medicare beneficiary patient admissions to hospitals with and without Health Professional Shortage Area designations for common operations including appendectomy, cholecystectomy, colectomy, and hernia repair from 2014 to 2018. Primary outcomes measures were 30-day mortality, hospital readmissions, and 30-day surgical episode payments. Patients (mean age=75.6 years, males=44.4%) undergoing common surgical procedures in shortage area hospitals were less likely to be White (84.6% vs 88.4%) and less likely to have≥2 Elixhauser comorbidities (75.5% vs 78.2%). Patients undergoing surgery at Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals had lower risk-adjusted rates of 30-day mortality (6.05% vs 6.69%) and readmission (14.99% vs 15.74%). Medicare expenditures at Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals were also lower than nonshortage designated hospitals ($28,517 vs $29,685).
AHRQ-funded; HS028606; HS028672.
Citation: Mullens CL, Lussiez A, Scott JW .
Association of health professional shortage area hospital designation with surgical outcomes and expenditures among Medicare beneficiaries.
Ann Surg 2023 Oct 1; 278(4):e733-e39. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000005762..
Keywords: Hospitals, Surgery, Medicare, Healthcare Costs, Workforce, Outcomes
Zimmerman S, Carder P, Schwartz L
The imperative to reimagine assisted living.
Assisted living (AL) has existed in the United States for decades, evolving in response to older adults' need for supportive care and distaste for nursing homes and older models of congregate care. AL is state-regulated, provides at least 2 meals a day, around-the-clock supervision, and help with personal care, but is not licensed as a nursing home. This article presents the background regarding those tensions, as well as potential solutions that have been borne out, paving the path to a better future of assisted living.
AHRQ-funded; HS026893.
Citation: Zimmerman S, Carder P, Schwartz L .
The imperative to reimagine assisted living.
J Am Med Dir Assoc 2022 Feb;23(2):225-34. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2021.12.004..
Keywords: Elderly, Long-Term Care, Healthcare Delivery, Workforce, Quality of Care, Quality of Life, Healthcare Costs
Adams DR, Williams NJ, Becker-Haimes EM
Therapist financial strain and turnover: interactions with system-level implementation of evidence-based practices.
In this study, the investigators prospectively examined the relationship between therapist financial strain and turnover in 247 therapists in 28 community mental health agencies. The investigators expected greater therapist financial strain to predict higher turnover and participation in a system-funded evidence-based practice (EBP) training initiative to alleviate this effect. They found that, controlling for covariates, financial strain predicted therapist turnover but not for therapists who participated in an EBP training initiative.
AHRQ-funded; HS000084.
Citation: Adams DR, Williams NJ, Becker-Haimes EM .
Therapist financial strain and turnover: interactions with system-level implementation of evidence-based practices.
Adm Policy Ment Health 2019 Nov;46(6):713-23. doi: 10.1007/s10488-019-00949-8..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Evidence-Based Practice, Behavioral Health, Provider, Provider: Clinician, Training, Workforce
Tabano DC, Anderson ML, Ritzwoller DP
Estimating the impact of diabetes mellitus on worker productivity using self-report, electronic health record and human resource data.
In this study, the investigators assessed the relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and measures of worker productivity, direct health care costs, and costs associated with lost productivity (LP) among health care industry workers across two integrated health care systems. They concluded that the impact of DM was reflected in higher rates of LP and higher indirect costs for employers related to LP and higher health care resource use.
AHRQ-funded; HS018913.
Citation: Tabano DC, Anderson ML, Ritzwoller DP .
Estimating the impact of diabetes mellitus on worker productivity using self-report, electronic health record and human resource data.
J Occup Environ Med 2018 Nov;60(11):e569-e74. doi: 10.1097/jom.0000000000001441..
Keywords: Diabetes, Healthcare Costs, Workforce
Biener A, Cawley J, Meyerhoefer C
AHRQ Author: Biener A
The impact of obesity on medical care costs and labor market outcomes in the US.
The economic consequences of obesity are not well understood. Researchers analyzed data for 2001-2015 and estimated the percentage of healthcare costs that were associated with adult obesity. They found that a substantial and rising percentage of healthcare costs are associated with obesity. This is true for the US, for individual states, for each category of expenditure, and for each type of payer.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Biener A, Cawley J, Meyerhoefer C .
The impact of obesity on medical care costs and labor market outcomes in the US.
Clin Chem 2018 Jan;64(1):108-17. doi: 10.1373/clinchem.2017.272450.
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Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Obesity, Workforce
Silber JH, Rosenbaum PR, McHugh MD
Comparison of the value of nursing work environments in hospitals across different levels of patient risk.
This study tested whether hospitals with better nursing work environments displayed better value than those with worse nursing. It found that hospitals with better nursing environments and above-average staffing levels were associated with better value (lower mortality with similar costs) compared with hospitals without nursing environment recognition and with below-average staffing, especially for higher-risk patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS018338.
Citation: Silber JH, Rosenbaum PR, McHugh MD .
Comparison of the value of nursing work environments in hospitals across different levels of patient risk.
JAMA Surg 2016 Jun;151(6):527-36. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2015.4908.
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Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Quality of Care, Nursing, Workforce