National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (1)
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (1)
- Antibiotics (3)
- Antimicrobial Stewardship (3)
- Behavioral Health (1)
- Cancer (1)
- Cancer: Colorectal Cancer (1)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (3)
- Care Coordination (6)
- Caregiving (3)
- Children/Adolescents (7)
- Chronic Conditions (3)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (1)
- Communication (3)
- Comparative Effectiveness (2)
- Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) (1)
- COVID-19 (2)
- Decision Making (1)
- Depression (1)
- Diabetes (2)
- Disparities (1)
- Education: Curriculum (1)
- Elderly (8)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (2)
- Emergency Department (3)
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) (1)
- Emergency Preparedness (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (2)
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) (1)
- Healthcare Costs (2)
- Healthcare Delivery (6)
- Healthcare Utilization (1)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (6)
- Heart Disease and Health (2)
- Home Healthcare (4)
- Hospital Discharge (17)
- Hospitalization (3)
- Hospital Readmissions (6)
- Hospitals (16)
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (1)
- Injuries and Wounds (1)
- Inpatient Care (2)
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (1)
- Kidney Disease and Health (2)
- Long-Term Care (2)
- Medical Liability (1)
- Medicare (1)
- Medication (4)
- Medication: Safety (1)
- Mortality (2)
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) (3)
- Newborns/Infants (3)
- Nursing (2)
- Nursing Homes (6)
- Outcomes (3)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (4)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (1)
- Patient and Family Engagement (3)
- Patient Experience (4)
- Patient Safety (5)
- Patient Self-Management (1)
- Policy (1)
- Provider (1)
- Provider: Nurse (1)
- Public Health (1)
- Quality Improvement (3)
- Quality Measures (1)
- Quality of Care (3)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (2)
- Rehabilitation (1)
- Respiratory Conditions (1)
- Risk (2)
- Rural Health (2)
- Sepsis (1)
- Surgery (3)
- Teams (4)
- Telehealth (2)
- (-) Transitions of Care (51)
- Transplantation (1)
- Trauma (2)
- Workflow (1)
- Young Adults (1)
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 51 Research Studies DisplayedXiao Y, Smith A, Abebe E
Understanding hazards for adverse drug events among older adults after hospital discharge: insights from frontline care professionals.
The purpose of this study was to utilize a systems approach to examine hazards to medication safety for older adults during care transitions. The researchers interviewed 38 hospital-based professionals (5 hospitalists, 24 nurses, 4 clinical pharmacists, 3 pharmacy technicians, and 2 social workers) from 4 hospitals about ADE risks after hospital discharge among older adults. For each concern the participants provided, the hazard for medication-related harms was coded and grouped by its sources utilizing a human factors and systems engineering model. The study found that the hazards fell into 6 groups: 1) medication tasks related at home, 2) patient and caregiver related, 3) hospital work system related, 4) home resource related, 5) hospital professional-patient collaborative work related, and 6) external environment related. The type of medications indicated most frequently when describing concerns included anticoagulants, insulins, and diuretics. The types of hazards coded the most were: complex dosing, patient and caregiver knowledge gaps in medication management, errors in discharge medications, unaffordable cost, inadequate understanding about changes in medications, and gaps in access to care or in sharing medication information.
AHRQ-funded; HS024436.
Citation: Xiao Y, Smith A, Abebe E .
Understanding hazards for adverse drug events among older adults after hospital discharge: insights from frontline care professionals.
J Patient Saf 2022 Dec 1;18(8):e1174-e80. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000001046..
Keywords: Elderly, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Medication, Medication: Safety, Hospital Discharge, Hospitals, Transitions of Care
Williams PH, Gilmartin HM, Leonard C
The influence of the Rural Transitions Nurse Program for veterans on healthcare utilization costs.
This study’s objective was to examine changes from pre- to post-hospitalization in total, inpatient, and outpatient 30-day healthcare utilization costs for Veterans Affairs Healthcare System Rural Transitions Nurse Program (TNP) enrollees compared to controls. Although findings showed no difference in change in total costs between veterans enrolled in TNP and controls, TNP was associated with a smaller increase in direct inpatient medical costs and a larger increase in direct outpatient medical costs, suggesting a shifting of costs from the inpatient to outpatient setting.
AHRQ-funded; HS024569.
Citation: Williams PH, Gilmartin HM, Leonard C .
The influence of the Rural Transitions Nurse Program for veterans on healthcare utilization costs.
J Gen Intern Med 2022 Nov;37(14):3529-34. doi: 10.1007/s11606-022-07401-y..
Keywords: Rural Health, Nursing, Transitions of Care, Healthcare Utilization, Healthcare Costs
Harrison JD, Sudore RL, Auerbach AD
Automated telephone follow-up programs after hospital discharge: do older adults engage with these programs?
The purpose of this study was to examine whether and how older adults experience automated post-hospital discharge telephone follow-up programs and characterize the prevalence of patient-reported post-discharge issues. Eighteen thousand and seventy-six patients, all part of a post-hospital discharge program between May 1, 2018 and April 30, 2019, were included and categorized into age groups. The study found that more patients 65-84 years old were reached compared to patients 64 years old or less (84.3% compared to 78.9%). Patients aged 85 or older were more likely to have questions about their follow-up plans and require assistance scheduling appointments compared to those 64 years old or less (19.0% vs. 11.9%). The researchers concluded that post-hospital automated telephone calls are effective at reaching older adults.
AHRQ-funded; HS026383.
Citation: Harrison JD, Sudore RL, Auerbach AD .
Automated telephone follow-up programs after hospital discharge: do older adults engage with these programs?
J Am Geriatr Soc 2022 Oct;70(10):2980-87. doi: 10.1111/jgs.17939..
Keywords: Elderly, Patient and Family Engagement, Hospital Discharge, Transitions of Care, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Alagoz E, Saucke M, Arroyo N
Communication during interhospital transfers of emergency general surgery patients: a qualitative study of challenges and opportunities.
This study’s objective was to understand the nature of and challenges to communication between referring (RP) and accepting (AP) providers transferring emergency general surgery (EGS) patients from the transfer center nurse’s (TCN) perspective. Worse outcomes have been shown to be experienced by transferred EGS patients than directly admitted patients. The authors interviewed 17 transfer center nurses (TCNs) at an academic medical center regarding (in)efficient and (in)effective communication between RPs and APs. The in-person interviews were recorded, transcribed and managed in NVivo. Four researchers developed a codebook, which was then co-coded with the transcripts. A consensus was developed to discuss emergency themes and arrive at higher-level concepts. Issues relating to ineffective communication included RPs that provided incomplete information because of a lack of necessary infrastructure, personnel, or technical knowledge; competing clinical demands; or a fear of the transfer request being rejected. Inefficient communication resulted from RPs being unfamiliar with the information APs expected and the lack of a structured process to share information and communication also failed when providers disagreed about the necessity of the transfer.
AHRQ-funded; HS025224.
Citation: Alagoz E, Saucke M, Arroyo N .
Communication during interhospital transfers of emergency general surgery patients: a qualitative study of challenges and opportunities.
J Patient Saf 2022 Oct 1;18(7):711-16. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000000979..
Keywords: Care Coordination, Communication, Transitions of Care, Surgery
Bourgoin A, Balaban R, Hochman M
AHRQ Author: Perfetto D, Hogan EM
Improving quality and safety for patients after hospital discharge: primary care as the lead integrator in postdischarge care transitions.
The purpose of this study was to explain primary care-based transition workflow processes for hospitalized patients. The researchers conducted interviews with primary care thought leaders, staff at 9 primary care sites, community agency staff, and recently discharged patients. The researchers found that primary care postdischarge workflows vary across the different settings, rarely include communications with the patient or the inpatient team during the hospitalization and vary widely across settings. The researchers recommended the use of principles for primary care practices to encourage active participation in the full spectrum of postdischarge care, from admission through the first postdischarge visit to primary care.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 233201500019I/HHSP23337002T.
Citation: Bourgoin A, Balaban R, Hochman M .
Improving quality and safety for patients after hospital discharge: primary care as the lead integrator in postdischarge care transitions.
J Ambul Care Manage 2022 Oct-Dec;45(4):310-20. doi: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000433..
Keywords: Quality of Care, Patient Safety, Hospital Discharge, Transitions of Care, Hospitals, Workflow
Vaughn VM, Ratz D, Greene MT
Antibiotic stewardship strategies and their association with antibiotic overuse after hospital discharge: an analysis of the Reducing Overuse of Antibiotics at Discharge (ROAD) home framework.
Researchers sought to understand strategies to optimize antibiotic prescribing at discharge. Surveying Michigan hospitals on their antibiotic stewardship strategies for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and urinary tract infection (UTI), they found that the more stewardship strategies a hospital reported, the lower its antibiotic overuse at discharge.
AHRQ-funded; HS026530.
Citation: Vaughn VM, Ratz D, Greene MT .
Antibiotic stewardship strategies and their association with antibiotic overuse after hospital discharge: an analysis of the Reducing Overuse of Antibiotics at Discharge (ROAD) home framework.
Clin Infect Dis 2022 Sep 29;75(6):1063-72. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciac104..
Keywords: Antimicrobial Stewardship, Antibiotics, Medication, Hospital Discharge, Transitions of Care
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
Topham EW, Bristol A, Luther B
Caregiver inclusion in IDEAL discharge teaching: implications for transitions from hospital to home.
The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of caregivers regarding their discharge preparation, focusing particular attention on whether and how they believed discharge preparation impacted post-discharge patient outcomes. Through interviews with four English-speaking caregivers, findings showed that, once home, the caregivers reported gaps in their knowledge of how to care for the patient, suggesting key gaps related to knowledge of warning signs and problems. Two of the four caregiver participants attributed a hospital readmission to post-discharge knowledge gaps. This study of caregiver experiences suggests that AHRQ’s IDEAL discharge planning strategy remains a useful and important framework for case managers to follow when providing discharge services.
AHRQ-funded; HS026248.
Citation: Topham EW, Bristol A, Luther B .
Caregiver inclusion in IDEAL discharge teaching: implications for transitions from hospital to home.
Prof Case Manag 2022 Jul-Aug;27(4):181-93. doi: 10.1097/ncm.0000000000000563..
Keywords: Hospital Discharge, Transitions of Care, Caregiving
Giesler DL, Krein S, Brancaccio A
Reducing overuse of antibiotics at discharge home: a single-center mixed methods pilot study.
This article described a single-center, controlled pilot study of a pharmacist-facilitated antibiotic timeout prior to hospital discharge. The timeout addressed key elements of duration and was designed and implemented using iterative cycles with rapid feedback. The authors evaluated implementation outcomes related to feasibility, including usability, adherence, and acceptability. The pharmacists conducted 288 antibiotic timeouts with a mean duration of 2.5 minutes. Pharmacists recommended an antibiotic change in 25% of timeouts with 70% of recommended changes accepted by hospitalists. Barriers included unanticipated and weekend discharges. There were no differences in antibiotic use after discharge during the intervention compared to control services.
AHRQ-funded; HS026530.
Citation: Giesler DL, Krein S, Brancaccio A .
Reducing overuse of antibiotics at discharge home: a single-center mixed methods pilot study.
Am J Infect Control 2022 Jul;50(7):777-86. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.11.016..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Medication, Hospital Discharge, Transitions of Care
May HP, Krauter AK, Finnie DM
Optimising transitions of care for acute kidney injury survivors: protocol for a mixed-methods study of nephrologist and primary care provider recommendations.
Gaps in proper kidney care after acute kidney injury (AKI) in hospital patients can contribute to long term complications for those individuals. The purpose of this study is to provide an in-depth assessment of nephrologists’ and primary care providers’ approaches to follow-up care after in-hospital acute kidney injury (AKI). The researchers will utilize a mixed-methods study to assess provider recommendations and decision-making for post-AKI care.
AHRQ-funded; HS028060.
Citation: May HP, Krauter AK, Finnie DM .
Optimising transitions of care for acute kidney injury survivors: protocol for a mixed-methods study of nephrologist and primary care provider recommendations.
BMJ Open 2022 Jun 22;12(6):e058613. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058613..
Keywords: Kidney Disease and Health, Transitions of Care
Usher MC, Tignanelli CJ, Hilliard B
Responding to COVID-19 through interhospital resource coordination: a mixed-methods evaluation
Researchers sought to describe a novel hospital system approach to managing the COVID-19 pandemic, including multihospital coordination capability and transfer of COVID-19 patients to a single, dedicated hospital. They found that, with standardized communication, interhospital transfers were a safe and effective method of cohorting COVID-19 patients, were well-received by health care providers, and had the potential to improve care quality.
AHRQ-funded; HS026379; HS026732.
Citation: Usher MC, Tignanelli CJ, Hilliard B .
Responding to COVID-19 through interhospital resource coordination: a mixed-methods evaluation
J Patient Saf 2022 Jun 1;18(4):287-94. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000000916..
Keywords: COVID-19, Hospitals, Healthcare Delivery, Public Health, Care Coordination, Transitions of Care
Yu A, Jordan SR, Gilmartin H
"Our hands are tied until your doctor gets here": nursing perspectives on inter-hospital transfers.
The purpose of this study was to characterize the experiences of inpatient floor-level bedside nurses caring for inter-hospital transfer (IHT) patients and to identify care coordination challenges and solutions. Results from this study are mapped to AHRQ’s Care Coordination Measurement Framework domains of communication, assessing needs and goals, and negotiating accountability. Findings showed that three key themes characterized nurses' experiences with IHT related to these domains: challenges with information exchange and team communication during IHT, environmental and information preparation needed to anticipate transfers, and determining responsibility and care plans after the IHT patient has arrived at the accepting facility.
AHRQ-funded; HS023331.
Citation: Yu A, Jordan SR, Gilmartin H .
"Our hands are tied until your doctor gets here": nursing perspectives on inter-hospital transfers.
J Gen Intern Med 2022 May;37(7):1729-36. doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-07276-5..
Keywords: Transitions of Care, Hospitals, Provider: Nurse
Mitchell SE, Reichert M, Howard JM
Reducing readmission of hospitalized patients with depressive symptoms: a randomized trial.
The purpose of this randomized controlled trial study was to assess whether post-discharge depression treatment will benefit hospitalized patients by reducing readmissions. Participants included hospitalized patients with a patient health questionnaire-9 score of 10 or higher. The researchers delivered the Re-Engineered Discharge (RED) and randomized participants to groups receiving RED-only or RED for Depression (RED-D), a 12-week post-discharge telehealth intervention. The study found that at 30 days, the intention-to-treat analysis showed no differences between RED-D vs RED-only in hospital readmission or reutilization. The intention-to-treat analysis also showed no differences at 90 days in readmission or reutilization. In the as-treated analysis, each additional RED-D session was associated with a decrease in 30- and 90-day readmissions. At 30 days, among 104 participants receiving 3 or more sessions, there were fewer readmissions compared with the control group. At 90 days, among 109 participants receiving 6 or more sessions, there were fewer readmissions. The study concluded that unplanned hospital use can be decreased with post-discharge treatment of depression and support for care transition.
AHRQ-funded; HS019700.
Citation: Mitchell SE, Reichert M, Howard JM .
Reducing readmission of hospitalized patients with depressive symptoms: a randomized trial.
Ann Fam Med 2022 May-Jun;20(3):246-54. doi: 10.1370/afm.2801..
Keywords: Depression, Behavioral Health, Hospital Readmissions, Hospital Discharge, Transitions of Care
Sharara SL, Arbaje AI, Cosgrove SE
The voice of the patient: patient roles in antibiotic management at the hospital-to-home transition.
The objective of this study was to characterize tasks required for patient-performed antibiotic medication management (MM) at the hospital-to-home transition, as well as barriers to and strategies for patient-led antibiotic MM. The overall goal was to understand patients' role in managing antibiotics at the hospital-to-home transition. The investigators concluded that there are many opportunities to improve patient-led antibiotic MM at the hospital-to-home transition.
AHRQ-funded; HS026995.
Citation: Sharara SL, Arbaje AI, Cosgrove SE .
The voice of the patient: patient roles in antibiotic management at the hospital-to-home transition.
J Patient Saf 2022 Apr 1;18(3):e633-e39. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000000899..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Medication, Hospital Discharge, Transitions of Care, Patient Self-Management
Barreto EF, May HP, Schreier DJ
Development and feasibility of a multidisciplinary approach to AKI survivorship in care transitions: research letter.
The purpose of this study was to observe and describe the development and feasibility of a multidisciplinary approach to caring for acute kidney injury (AKI) survivors at care transitions (ACT). The studied population were adults with stage 3 AKI who were not discharging on dialysis and were established with a primary care provider at the authors’ academic medical center in the U.S. Preliminary data indicated that AKI survivors of interest could primarily be identified, educated, and followed up with using the multidisciplinary approach model, which also maximized the unique expertise of each team member. The authors concluded that this multidisciplinary ACT workflow supported by clinical decision support was feasible, scalable, and addressed gaps in existing care transition models.
AHRQ-funded; HS028060.
Citation: Barreto EF, May HP, Schreier DJ .
Development and feasibility of a multidisciplinary approach to AKI survivorship in care transitions: research letter.
Can J Kidney Health Dis 2022 Mar 6; 9:20543581221081258. doi: 10.1177/20543581221081258..
Keywords: Kidney Disease and Health, Transplantation, Transitions of Care
Gilmartin HM, Warsavage T, Hines A
Effectiveness of the rural transitions nurse program for veterans: a multicenter implementation study.
This study evaluated the effectiveness of the rural Transitions Nurse Program (TNP), a program to help veterans transferred from rural areas to urban VA Medical Centers for care. A case-control study was conducted from April 2017 to September 2019 with 3001 veterans enrolled in TNP and 6002 matched controls. Interventions were led by a transition nurse who assessed discharge readiness, provided postdischarge communication with primary care providers (PCPs), and called the Veteran within 72 h of discharge home to assess needs, and encouraged follow-up appointment attendance. Controls had no change to their care. Primary outcomes evaluated were PCP visits within 14 days of discharge and all-cause 30-day readmissions, with secondary outcomes 30-day emergency department (ED) visits and 30-day mortality. Patients were matched by their length of stay, prior hospitalizations and PCP visits, urban/rural status, and 32 Elixhauser comorbidities. The veterans enrolled in TNP were more likely to see their PCP within 14 days of discharge than their matched controls. TNP enrollment was not associated with reduced 30-day ED visits or readmissions but was associated with reduced 30-day mortality.
AHRQ-funded; HS024569.
Citation: Gilmartin HM, Warsavage T, Hines A .
Effectiveness of the rural transitions nurse program for veterans: a multicenter implementation study.
J Hosp Med 2022 Mar;17(3):149-57. doi: 10.1002/jhm.12802..
Keywords: Rural Health, Transitions of Care, Nursing, Healthcare Delivery
Fraiman YS, Stewart JE, Litt JS
Race, language, and neighborhood predict high-risk preterm infant follow up program participation.
This study investigated whether infants born to Black mothers, non-English speaking mothers, and mothers who live in “Very Low” Child Opportunity Index (COI) neighborhoods would have decreased odds of using the Infant Follow Up Program (IFUP) for their preterm infants after discharge from a NICU. A total of 477 infants eligible for IFUP between 2015 and June 2017 from a single large academic Level III NICU were included. Primary outcome considered was at least one visit to IFUP. Two hundred infants (41.9%) participated in IFUP, with the odds of participation lower for Black compared to white race, “Very Low” COI compared to “Very High”, and primary non-English speaking.
AHRQ-funded; HS000063.
Citation: Fraiman YS, Stewart JE, Litt JS .
Race, language, and neighborhood predict high-risk preterm infant follow up program participation.
J Perinatol 2022 Feb;42(2):217-22. doi: 10.1038/s41372-021-01188-2..
Keywords: Newborns/Infants, Hospital Discharge, Transitions of Care, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Hoonakker PLT, Hose BZ, Carayon P
Scenario-based evaluation of team health information technology to support pediatric trauma care transitions.
This study’s objective was to examine if the Teamwork Transition Technology (T(3)) supports teams and team cognition. Using a scenario-based mock-up methodology with 36 clinicians and staff from the different units and departments who are involved in pediatric trauma to examine T(3), results showed that most participants agreed that the technology helped to achieve the goals set out in the design phase. Respondents thought that T(3) organized and presented information in a different way that was helpful to them. The authors concluded that the results of their evaluation showed that participants agreed that T(3) does support them in their work and increases their situation awareness.
AHRQ-funded; HS023837.
Citation: Hoonakker PLT, Hose BZ, Carayon P .
Scenario-based evaluation of team health information technology to support pediatric trauma care transitions.
Appl Clin Inform 2022 Jan;13(1):218-29. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1742368.
AHRQ-funded; HS023837..
AHRQ-funded; HS023837..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Transitions of Care, Health Information Technology (HIT), Teams, Trauma
Frasier LL, Pavuluri Quamme SR, Wiegmann D
Evaluation of intraoperative hand-off frequency, duration, and context: a mixed methods analysis.
The authors sought a better understanding of the coordination and impact of intraoperative hand-offs. They found that intraoperative hand-offs were frequent and not well coordinated with intraoperative events including counts and other hand-offs. Anchoring and announced hand-offs occurred in a small proportion of cases. They recommended that future work focus on optimizing timing, content, and participation in intraoperative hand-offs.
AHRQ-funded; HS022403.
Citation: Frasier LL, Pavuluri Quamme SR, Wiegmann D .
Evaluation of intraoperative hand-off frequency, duration, and context: a mixed methods analysis.
J Surg Res 2020 Dec;256:124-30. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2020.06.007..
Keywords: Surgery, Transitions of Care, Communication, Teams
Makam AN, Nguyen OK, Miller ME
Comparative effectiveness of long-term acute care hospital versus skilled nursing facility transfer.
This study compared the effectiveness of long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) use versus skilled nursing facility (SNF) transfer after hospitalization. Medicare claims linked to electronic health record (EHR) data from six Texas hospitals between 2009 and 2010 were used to conduct a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized patients transferred to either an LTACH or SNF and followed for one year. Out of 3505 patients, 18% were transferred to an LTACH and overall were younger, less likely to be female, and white, but sicker than transfers to an SNF. Patients transferred to an LTACH were less likely to survive (59 vs. 65%) or recover (62.5 vs 66%). Adjusting for demographic and clinical confounders found in Medicare claims and EHR data, transfer location was not significantly associated with differences in mortality but was associated with greater Medicare spending.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Makam AN, Nguyen OK, Miller ME .
Comparative effectiveness of long-term acute care hospital versus skilled nursing facility transfer.
BMC Health Serv Res 2020 Nov 11;20(1):1032. doi: 10.1186/s12913-020-05847-6..
Keywords: Comparative Effectiveness, Evidence-Based Practice, Long-Term Care, Elderly, Medicare, Transitions of Care, Nursing Homes, Hospitals
Tremblay ES, Ruiz J, Buccigrosso T
Health care transition in youth with type 1 diabetes and an A1C >9%: qualitative analysis of pre-transition perspectives.
The purpose of this training was to explore expectations for transition to adult care and experiences with transition planning among adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes and an A1C >9% at a tertiary care U.S. pediatric center. The investigators concluded that a lack of transition preparation and anxiety about transition and adult care among youth with type 1 diabetes and elevated A1C.
AHRQ-funded; HS000063.
Citation: Tremblay ES, Ruiz J, Buccigrosso T .
Health care transition in youth with type 1 diabetes and an A1C >9%: qualitative analysis of pre-transition perspectives.
Diabetes Spectr 2020 Nov;33(4):331-38. doi: 10.2337/ds20-0011..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Young Adults, Diabetes, Chronic Conditions, Transitions of Care, Patient Experience
Nijhawan AE, Bhattatiry M, Chansard M
HIV care cascade before and after hospitalization: impact of a multidisciplinary inpatient team in the US South.
Hospitalization represents an opportunity to re-engage out-of-care individuals, improve HIV outcomes, and reduce health disparities. The authors reviewed electronic health records of HIV-positive individuals hospitalized at an urban, public hospital between September 2013 and December 2015. They found that hospitalized patients with HIV had low rates of engagement in care, retention in care, and virologic suppression, though all three outcomes improved after hospitalization. A multidisciplinary transitions team improved care engagement and virologic suppression in those who received the intervention.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Nijhawan AE, Bhattatiry M, Chansard M .
HIV care cascade before and after hospitalization: impact of a multidisciplinary inpatient team in the US South.
AIDS Care 2020 Nov;32(11):1343-52. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2019.1698704.
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Keywords: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Transitions of Care, Inpatient Care, Teams, Hospitalization, Patient and Family Engagement, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice
Shannon EM, Schnipper JL, Mueller SK
Identifying racial/ethnic disparities in interhospital transfer: an observational study.
Interhospital transfer (IHT) is often performed to provide patients with specialized care. Racial/ethnic disparities in IHT have been suggested but are not well-characterized. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between race/ethnicity and IHT. The investigators found that Black and Hispanic patients had lower odds of IHT, largely explained by a higher likelihood of being hospitalized at urban teaching hospitals. Racial/ethnic disparities in transfer were demonstrated at community hospitals, in certain geographic regions and among patients with specific diseases.
AHRQ-funded; HS023331.
Citation: Shannon EM, Schnipper JL, Mueller SK .
Identifying racial/ethnic disparities in interhospital transfer: an observational study.
J Gen Intern Med 2020 Oct;35(10):2939-46. doi: 10.1007/s11606-020-06046-z..
Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Transitions of Care, Hospitals, Care Coordination
Ma AL, Cohen RS, Lee HC
Learning from wildfire disaster experience in California NICUs.
The authors’ objective was to learn how personnel working in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of California hospitals handled issues of neonatal transfer during wildfire disasters in recent years; their ultimate goal was to share lessons learned with healthcare teams on disaster preparedness. They found that while describing disaster preparedness, equipment (such as bassinets and backpacks), ambulance access/transport and documentation/charting were noted as important and essential. They concluded that teamwork, willingness to do other tasks that are not part of typical job descriptions, and unconventional strategies contributed to the success of keeping NICU babies safe when California wildfire strikes.
AHRQ-funded; HS023506.
Citation: Ma AL, Cohen RS, Lee HC .
Learning from wildfire disaster experience in California NICUs.
Children 2020 Oct;7(10):E155. doi: 10.3390/children7100155..
Keywords: Newborns/Infants, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Transitions of Care, Emergency Preparedness, Teams, Healthcare Delivery
Saleh SN, Makam AN, Halm EA,
Can we predict early 7-day readmissions using a standard 30-day hospital readmission risk prediction model?
Despite focus on preventing 30-day readmissions, early readmissions (within 7 days of discharge) may be more preventable than later readmissions (8-30 days). In this study, the investigators assessed how well a previously validated 30-day EHR-based readmission model predicted 7-day readmissions and compared differences in strength of predictors. They suggested that improvements in predicting early 7-day readmissions will likely require new risk factors proximal to day of discharge.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Saleh SN, Makam AN, Halm EA, .
Can we predict early 7-day readmissions using a standard 30-day hospital readmission risk prediction model?
BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2020 Sep 15;20(1):227. doi: 10.1186/s12911-020-01248-1..
Keywords: Hospital Readmissions, Hospitals, Risk, Transitions of Care, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)