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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 31 Research Studies DisplayedRauscher GH, Tossas-Milligan K, Macarol T
Trends in attaining mammography quality benchmarks with repeated participation in a quality measurement program: going beyond the mammography quality standards act to address breast cancer disparities.
The Mammography Quality Standards Act requires that mammography facilities conduct audits, but there are no specifications on the metrics to be measured. In this study, the authors present trends from the first 5 years of data collection to examine whether continued participation in this quality improvement program was associated with an increase in the number of benchmarks met for breast cancer screening.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation: Rauscher GH, Tossas-Milligan K, Macarol T .
Trends in attaining mammography quality benchmarks with repeated participation in a quality measurement program: going beyond the mammography quality standards act to address breast cancer disparities.
J Am Coll Radiol 2020 Nov;17(11):1420-28. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2020.07.019..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Women, Screening, Quality Measures, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Shah SC, Itzkowitz SH
Reappraising risk factors for inflammatory bowel disease-associated neoplasia: implications for colonoscopic surveillance in IBD.
One of the most feared complications of inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]-associated colitis is colorectal cancer. An opportunity for early detection is being missed in a group that is overlooked as high-risk, as a substantial proportion of colorectal cancers are being diagnosed in individuals with colonic IBD who have disease duration shorter than when guidelines recommend surveillance initiation. In this study, the investigators discuss a viewpoint that supports a paradigm shift that will ideally result in a more effective and higher-value colorectal cancer prevention approach in IBD.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395.
Citation: Shah SC, Itzkowitz SH .
Reappraising risk factors for inflammatory bowel disease-associated neoplasia: implications for colonoscopic surveillance in IBD.
J Crohns Colitis 2020 Sep 7;14(8):1172-77. doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjaa040..
Keywords: Digestive Disease and Health, Risk, Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Cancer, Colonoscopy, Prevention, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Screening
Haymart MR, Reyes-Gastelum D, Caoili E
The relationship between imaging and thyroid cancer diagnosis and survival.
Controversy exists over whether there has been a true increase in the occurrence of thyroid cancer or overdiagnosis secondary to imaging practices. Because cancer overdiagnosis is associated with detection of indolent disease, overdiagnosis can be associated with perceived improvement in survival. The investigators concluded that there was improved disease-specific survival in patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer after thyroid ultrasound as compared with after other imaging.
AHRQ-funded; HS024512.
Citation: Haymart MR, Reyes-Gastelum D, Caoili E .
The relationship between imaging and thyroid cancer diagnosis and survival.
Oncologist 2020 Sep;25(9):765-71. doi: 10.1634/theoncologist.2020-0159..
Keywords: Cancer, Imaging, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Sprague BL, Miglioretti DL, Lee CI
New mammography screening performance metrics based on the entire screening episode.
Established mammography screening performance metrics use the initial screening mammography assessment because they were developed for radiologist performance auditing, yet these metrics are frequently used to inform health policy and screening decision making. The authors developed new performance metrics based on the final assessment that consider the entire screening episode, including diagnostic workup. They concluded that established screening performance metrics underestimated the interval cancer rate of a mammography screening episode, particularly for women with dense breasts or an elevated breast cancer risk.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation: Sprague BL, Miglioretti DL, Lee CI .
New mammography screening performance metrics based on the entire screening episode.
Cancer 2020 Jul 15;126(14):3289-96. doi: 10.1002/cncr.32939..
Keywords: Screening, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Prevention, Women, Provider Performance, Imaging
Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC, Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC, Hung MC
Estimating the impact of increasing cervical cancer screening in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program among low-income women in the USA.
The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides free cervical cancer screening to low-income women. This study estimated the health benefits gained in terms of life years (LYs) saved and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained if cervical cancer screening by the NBCCEDP increased to reach more eligible women. The investigators found that the reported estimates emphasized the value of cervical cancer screening program by extending LE in low-income women.
Citation: Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC, Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC, Hung MC .
Estimating the impact of increasing cervical cancer screening in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program among low-income women in the USA.
Cancer Causes Control 2020 Jul;31(7):691-702. doi: 10.1007/s10552-020-01314-z..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Cancer: Cervical Cancer, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Screening, Women, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Low-Income
Lowry KP, Coley RY, Miglioretti DL
Screening performance of digital breast tomosynthesis vs digital mammography in community practice by patient age, screening round, and breast density.
The purpose of this study was to compare digital mammography (DM) vs digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) performance by age, baseline vs subsequent screening round, and breast density category. Information was taken from screening examinations at participating Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium facilities of 1.5 million women aged 40 to 79 with no prior history of breast cancer. Findings showed that improvements in recall and cancer detection rates with DBT were greatest on baseline mammograms. On subsequent screening mammograms, the benefits of DBT varied by age and breast density, and women with extremely dense breasts did not benefit from improved recall or cancer detection with DBT on subsequent screening rounds.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation: Lowry KP, Coley RY, Miglioretti DL .
Screening performance of digital breast tomosynthesis vs digital mammography in community practice by patient age, screening round, and breast density.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Jul;3(7):e2011792. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.11792..
Keywords: Imaging, Screening, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Women, Evidence-Based Practice, Comparative Effectiveness, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Franc BL, Thombley R, Luo Y
Using diagnosis codes in claims data to identify cohorts of breast cancer patients following initial treatment.
This article describes how researchers trying to study patterns of care and medical service utilization can use diagnosis codes to help identify patients who had undergone initial breast cancer treatment during the first 5 years after treatment for the primary cancer. The authors used claims data of 51,278 newly diagnosed breast cancer (BC) patients from the BC subset of the 2000-2014 SEER-Medicare linked database. From that database they determined the fraction of BC patients who could be identified using BC-specific does 174.x and v10.3 during the year of diagnosis/treatment and during each of the following 5 years after treatment. They then developed a list of diagnosis codes that were found more often in claims from BC patients than in claims of a cohort of patients without a BC diagnosis. They were able to identify BC patients as belonging to 5 different subgroups. In any single year 72.8-99.1% of BC patients had a claim with a174.x diagnosis code. Another 0-11% of BC patients had a v10.3 code. From their findings they concluded that BC patients can be robustly identified within claims databases.
AHRQ-funded; HS024936.
Citation: Franc BL, Thombley R, Luo Y .
Using diagnosis codes in claims data to identify cohorts of breast cancer patients following initial treatment.
Breast J 2020 Jul;26(7):1472-74. doi: 10.1111/tbj.13758..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Women, Research Methodologies
DiPiro PJ, Alper DP, Giess CS
Comparing breast and abdominal subspecialists' follow-up recommendations for incidental liver lesions on breast MRI.
This study compared breast and abdominal subspecialists’ follow-up recommendations following discovery of incidental liver lesions (ILLs) after breast MRI. When breast subspecialists recommended no follow-up abdominal subspecialists agreed with them in 29 out of 30 cases examined, but disagreed with 28 or 30 breast subspecialists’ follow-up recommendations. When breast imagers reported no ILLs, there was 93% agreement with abdominal subspecialists.
AHRQ-funded; HS024722.
Citation: DiPiro PJ, Alper DP, Giess CS .
Comparing breast and abdominal subspecialists' follow-up recommendations for incidental liver lesions on breast MRI.
J Am Coll Radiol 2020 Jun;17(6):773-78. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2019.12.024..
Keywords: Imaging, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Screening, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Women
Franc BL, Thombley R, Luo BL, Franc BL, Thombley R, Luo R, Luo Y
Identifying tests related to breast cancer care in claims data.
The goal of this study was to develop a method for calculating rates of testing for breast cancer recurrence in patients who have already undergone initial treatment for breast cancer. Rates were calculated from a cohort of Medicare breast cancer patients and an age-matched noncancer cohort. They calculated testing rates in the breast cancer cohort above the background rate in the noncancer population. There were similar estimates of testing prevalence and frequency in the two groups, with exception of prevalence of computed tomography (CT).
AHRQ-funded; HS024936.
Citation: Franc BL, Thombley R, Luo BL, Franc BL, Thombley R, Luo R, Luo Y .
Identifying tests related to breast cancer care in claims data.
Breast J 2020 Jun;26(6):1227-30. doi: 10.1111/tbj.13691..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Imaging, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Healthcare Utilization
Zhou Y, Abel GA, Hamilton W
Imaging activity possibly signalling missed diagnostic opportunities in bladder and kidney cancer: a longitudinal data-linkage study using primary care electronic health records.
Sub-optimal use or interpretation of imaging investigations prior to diagnosis of certain cancers may be associated with less timely diagnosis, but pre-diagnostic imaging activity for urological cancer is unknown. In this study, the investigators analysed linked data derived from primary and secondary care records and cancer registration to evaluate the use of clinically relevant imaging tests pre-diagnosis, in patients with bladder and kidney cancer diagnosed in 2012-15 in England.
AHRQ-funded; HS022087.
Citation: Zhou Y, Abel GA, Hamilton W .
Imaging activity possibly signalling missed diagnostic opportunities in bladder and kidney cancer: a longitudinal data-linkage study using primary care electronic health records.
Cancer Epidemiol 2020 Jun;66:101703. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2020.101703..
Keywords: Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Imaging, Primary Care, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Lacson R, Wang A, Cochon L
Factors associated with optimal follow-up in women with BI-RADS 3 breast findings.
Investigators assessed the rate of and the factors associated with optimal follow-up in patients with BI-RADS 3 breast findings. They found that follow-up of BI-RADS 3 breast imaging findings is optimal in only 74% of women. They recommended further interventions to promote follow-up targeting younger, unmarried women, those with Hispanic ethnicity, and women without history of breast cancer and without insurance coverage.
AHRQ-funded; HS024722.
Citation: Lacson R, Wang A, Cochon L .
Factors associated with optimal follow-up in women with BI-RADS 3 breast findings.
J Am Coll Radiol 2020 Apr;17(4):469-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2019.10.003..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Imaging, Screening, Women, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Sprague BL, Coley RY, Kerlikowske K
Assessment of radiologist performance in breast cancer screening using digital breast tomosynthesis vs digital mammography.
Many US radiologists have screening mammography recall rates above the expert-recommended threshold of 12%. The influence of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) on the distribution of radiologist recall rates is uncertain. The objective of this study was to evaluate radiologists' recall and cancer detection rates before and after beginning interpretation of DBT examinations.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation: Sprague BL, Coley RY, Kerlikowske K .
Assessment of radiologist performance in breast cancer screening using digital breast tomosynthesis vs digital mammography.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Mar 2;3(3):e201759. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.1759..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Imaging, Screening, Women, Prevention, Provider Performance
Murphy CC, Sen A, Watson B
A systematic review of repeat fecal occult blood tests for colorectal cancer screening.
This systematic review examined the prevalence of repeat fecal occult blood tests (FOBT) for colorectal cancer screening. MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies published from 1997 to 2017 and reported repeat FOBT over 2 and more screening rounds. Thirty-five articles (n=27) were identified which measured repeat FOBT as 1) proportion of Round 1 participants completing repeat FOBT in Round 2; 2) proportion completing two, consecutive FOBTs; or 3) proportion completing 3 or more rounds. The number of participants completing Round 1 ranged from 24.6% to 89.6%. Those who completed Round 2 ranged from 16.4% to 80%; and completion of 3 or more rounds ranged from 0.8% to 64.1%. Repeat FOBT was higher in mailed outreach than opportunistic screening.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Murphy CC, Sen A, Watson B .
A systematic review of repeat fecal occult blood tests for colorectal cancer screening.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020 Feb;29(2):278-87. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.Epi-19-0775..
Keywords: Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Cancer, Screening, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Prevention, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice
Grover S, Desir F, Jing Y
Reduced cancer survival among adults with HIV and AIDS-defining illnesses despite no difference in cancer stage at diagnosis.
A cohort of persons with HIV (PWH) who had AIDS-defining illness (ADI) at the time of cancer diagnosis were compared to those without HIV and ADI with cancer diagnosis at the same stages. Those with ADI had a higher mortality rate (30-70%) with lung cancer statistically significant. This finding is related with HIV-related immune suppression.
AHRQ-funded; 90047713.
Citation: Grover S, Desir F, Jing Y .
Reduced cancer survival among adults with HIV and AIDS-defining illnesses despite no difference in cancer stage at diagnosis.
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2018 Dec 1;79(4):421-29. doi: 10.1097/qai.0000000000001842..
Keywords: Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Outcomes
Symer MM, Yeo HL
Recent advances in the management of anal cancer.
The incidence of anal cancer is gradually increasing. This article discusses the epidemiology and pathogenesis of anal cancer, and the prevention of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection as an important management principle. Screening recommendations from various sources are reviewed, and the authors note that screening for individuals at risk of anal cancer should include anal cytology and anoscopy. Current treatments and special cases are also reviewed; the authors conclude that treatments such biological therapies, therapeutic vaccination, and immunotherapy are likely to improve outcomes in patients with anal cancer.
AHRQ-funded; HS000066.
Citation: Symer MM, Yeo HL .
Recent advances in the management of anal cancer.
F1000Res 2018 Sep 28;7. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.14518.1..
Keywords: Cancer, Care Management, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Screening
Mian HS, Wildes TM, Fiala MA
Development of a Medicare health outcomes survey deficit-accumulation frailty index and its application to older patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.
JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics 2018; 2):1-13. doi: 10.1200/cci.18.00043.
This study’s objective was to develop a frailty index for older patients and apply it to a subset of patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma. The study used the Rockwood Accumulation of Deficits approach for the Medicare Health Outcomes Study (MHOS). Data from over 2 million patients without cancer older than 66 years of age from SEER-MHOS linked databases were compared to the cohort with multiple myeloma. It was found that among patients without cancer, each 10% increase in the frailty index was associated with a 40% increased risk of death. For the multiple myeloma cohort, each 10% increase in the frailty index was associated with a 16% increased risk for death. Median time for overall survival was only 26.8 months for patients considered frail, compared with 43.7 months for those who were not. This frailty index could be used a predictor of overall survival in older multiple myeloma patients.
This study’s objective was to develop a frailty index for older patients and apply it to a subset of patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma. The study used the Rockwood Accumulation of Deficits approach for the Medicare Health Outcomes Study (MHOS). Data from over 2 million patients without cancer older than 66 years of age from SEER-MHOS linked databases were compared to the cohort with multiple myeloma. It was found that among patients without cancer, each 10% increase in the frailty index was associated with a 40% increased risk of death. For the multiple myeloma cohort, each 10% increase in the frailty index was associated with a 16% increased risk for death. Median time for overall survival was only 26.8 months for patients considered frail, compared with 43.7 months for those who were not. This frailty index could be used a predictor of overall survival in older multiple myeloma patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS019455.
Citation: Mian HS, Wildes TM, Fiala MA .
Development of a Medicare health outcomes survey deficit-accumulation frailty index and its application to older patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.
JCO Clin Cancer Inform 2018;2. doi: 10.1200/cci.18.00043..
Keywords: Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Elderly, Health Status, Medicare
Davies L, Petitti DB, Martin L
Defining, estimating, and communicating overdiagnosis in cancer screening.
Overdiagnosis represents one harm of too much medicine, but the concept can be confusing. Because the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issues screening recommendations aimed largely at healthy persons, it has a particular interest in understanding harms related to screening, especially but not limited to overdiagnosis. In support of the USPSTF, the authors summarize the knowledge and provide guidance on defining, estimating, and communicating overdiagnosis in cancer screening.
AHRQ-funded; 290201200015I; 290201600006C.
Citation: Davies L, Petitti DB, Martin L .
Defining, estimating, and communicating overdiagnosis in cancer screening.
Ann Intern Med 2018 Jul 3;169(1):36-43. doi: 10.7326/m18-0694..
Keywords: Cancer, Communication, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Screening, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
Bardach NS, Burkhart Q, Richardson LP
Hospital-based quality measures for pediatric mental health care.
The objective of this study was to develop and test medical record-based measures used to assess quality of pediatric mental health care in the emergency department (ED) and inpatient settings. The investigators drafted an evidence-based set of pediatric mental health care quality measures for the ED and inpatient settings and used them to identify sex and race disparities and substantial hospital variation.
AHRQ-funded; HS020506.
Citation: Bardach NS, Burkhart Q, Richardson LP .
Hospital-based quality measures for pediatric mental health care.
Pediatrics 2018 Jun;141(6). doi: 10.1542/peds.2017-3554..
Keywords: Cancer, Caregiving, Children/Adolescents, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Shared Decision Making, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Patient Experience, Patient and Family Engagement
Parikh ND, Scaglione S, Li Y
A comparison of staging systems for hepatocellular carcinoma in a multicenter US cohort.
This study compared different staging systems for hepatocellular carcinoma at 4 US health systems between June 2012 and May 2013. The most commonly used staging system is the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) system. A total of 320 patients were included in the study. The cohort were predominantly male (75.3%), white (48.8%), and had a mean age of 61.0 years. Prognostic performance was compared with BCLC, as well as the Italian Liver Cancer, Hong Kong Liver Cancer (HKLC), the Cancer of the Liver Italian Program, and the model to estimate survival in ambulatory patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (MESIAH) systems. They concluded that the HKLC and MESIAH systems were superior to BCLC in the multicenter cohort.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Parikh ND, Scaglione S, Li Y .
A comparison of staging systems for hepatocellular carcinoma in a multicenter US cohort.
Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2018 May;16(5):781-82. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2017.10.001..
Keywords: Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Gray SW, Gagan J, cerami E
Interactive or static reports to guide clinical interpretation of cancer genomics.
Misinterpretation of complex genomic data presents a major challenge in the implementation of precision oncology. In this randomized, vignette-based survey study, the investigators sought to determine whether interactive genomic reports with embedded clinician education and optimized data visualization improved genomic data interpretation. The investigators concluded that interactive genomic reports may improve physicians' ability to accurately assess genomic data and increase report-related satisfaction.
AHRQ-funded; HS024984.
Citation: Gray SW, Gagan J, cerami E .
Interactive or static reports to guide clinical interpretation of cancer genomics.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2018 May;25(5):458-64. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocx150..
Keywords: Genetics, Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Singal AG, Corley DA, Kamineni A
Patterns and predictors of repeat fecal immunochemical and occult blood test screening in four large health care systems in the United States.
The objectives of this study were to characterize screening patterns and identify factors associated with repeat screening among patients who completed an index guaiac fecal occult blood test (gFOBT) or fecal immunochemical test (FIT). The investigators found that screening patterns varied substantially across healthcare systems, with consistent screening proportions ranging from 1 to 54.3% and no repeat screening proportions ranging from 6.9 to 42.8%. Consistent screening increased with older age but was less common among racial/ethnic minorities and patients with more comorbidities.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Singal AG, Corley DA, Kamineni A .
Patterns and predictors of repeat fecal immunochemical and occult blood test screening in four large health care systems in the United States.
Am J Gastroenterol 2018 May;113(5):746-54. doi: 10.1038/s41395-018-0023-x..
Keywords: Screening, Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Cancer, Practice Patterns, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Dabbous F, Dolecek TA, Friedewald SM
Performance characteristics of digital vs film screen mammography in community practice.
In this study, the investigators examined performance characteristics of digital vs film screen mammography in community practice by comparing the performance characteristics of 297 629 full field digital (FFDM) and 416 791 screen film mammograms (SFM). In their study, modest gains in performance were achieved with the introduction of FFDM as a replacement for SFM, in a large health care organization.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation: Dabbous F, Dolecek TA, Friedewald SM .
Performance characteristics of digital vs film screen mammography in community practice.
Breast J 2018 May;24(3):369-72. doi: 10.1111/tbj.12942..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Screening, Imaging, Women, Prevention, Comparative Effectiveness, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Murphy DR, Meyer AND, Vaghani V
Electronic triggers to identify delays in follow-up of mammography: harnessing the power of big data in health care.
Because of the unique clinical, logistic, and legal aspects of mammography, this study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a trigger to flag delayed follow-up on mammography. The investigators found that care delays appeared to continue despite federal laws requiring patient notification of mammographic results within 30 days. They suggest that clinical application of mammography-related triggers could help detect these delays.
AHRQ-funded; HS022901.
Citation: Murphy DR, Meyer AND, Vaghani V .
Electronic triggers to identify delays in follow-up of mammography: harnessing the power of big data in health care.
J Am Coll Radiol 2018 Feb;15(2):287-95. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2017.10.001..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Imaging, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Prevention, Women
Balentine CJ, Vanness DJ, Schneider DF
Cost-effectiveness of lobectomy versus genetic testing (Afirma(R)) for indeterminate thyroid nodules: considering the costs of surveillance.
This study evaluated whether diagnostic thyroidectomy for indeterminate thyroid nodules would be more cost-effective than genetic testing after including the costs of long-term surveillance. Its base case estimate suggests that diagnostic lobectomy dominates genetic testing as a strategy for ruling out malignancy of indeterminate thyroid nodules.
AHRQ-funded; HS023009.
Citation: Balentine CJ, Vanness DJ, Schneider DF .
Cost-effectiveness of lobectomy versus genetic testing (Afirma(R)) for indeterminate thyroid nodules: considering the costs of surveillance.
Surgery 2018 Jan;163(1):88-96. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2017.10.004.
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Keywords: Cancer, Shared Decision Making, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Genetics, Healthcare Costs, Screening, Surgery
Murphy DR, Meyer A AND, Vaghani V
Development and validation of trigger algorithms to identify delays in diagnostic evaluation of gastroenterological cancer.
This study’s authors developed, refined, and tested trigger algorithms that identify patients with delayed follow-up evaluation of findings suspicious of colorectal cancer (CRC) or hepatocellular cancer (HCC). Using data from the Veterans Affairs electronic health record database, the researchers developed an algorithm that greatly reduces the number of record reviews necessary to identify delays in follow-up evaluations for patients with suspected CRC or HCC.
AHRQ-funded; HS022901.
Citation: Murphy DR, Meyer A AND, Vaghani V .
Development and validation of trigger algorithms to identify delays in diagnostic evaluation of gastroenterological cancer.
Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2018 Jan;16(1):90-98. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2017.08.007..
Keywords: Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Services Research (HSR)