National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Adverse Events (4)
- Alcohol Use (1)
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (4)
- Anxiety (1)
- Arthritis (2)
- Asthma (2)
- Autism (1)
- Behavioral Health (2)
- Cancer (6)
- Cancer: Breast Cancer (4)
- Cancer: Colorectal Cancer (1)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (2)
- Caregiving (9)
- Care Management (1)
- Children/Adolescents (15)
- Chronic Conditions (6)
- (-) Clinician-Patient Communication (71)
- Communication (43)
- Comparative Effectiveness (1)
- Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) (2)
- COVID-19 (1)
- Critical Care (1)
- Cultural Competence (8)
- Diabetes (1)
- Digestive Disease and Health (2)
- Disparities (3)
- Education: Continuing Medical Education (2)
- Education: Patient and Caregiver (4)
- Elderly (2)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (11)
- Emergency Department (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (3)
- Family Health and History (1)
- Healthcare Costs (2)
- Healthcare Delivery (1)
- Healthcare Utilization (1)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (17)
- Health Literacy (6)
- Hospital Discharge (1)
- Hospitalization (5)
- Hospitals (2)
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (1)
- Implementation (1)
- Infectious Diseases (1)
- Inpatient Care (4)
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (3)
- Labor and Delivery (1)
- Lifestyle Changes (2)
- Maternal Care (1)
- Medical Errors (3)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) (2)
- Medical Liability (1)
- Medication (4)
- Medication: Safety (1)
- Neurological Disorders (1)
- Newborns/Infants (1)
- Nutrition (1)
- Opioids (2)
- Outcomes (1)
- Pain (1)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (8)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (4)
- Patient Adherence/Compliance (2)
- Patient and Family Engagement (16)
- Patient Experience (11)
- Patient Safety (5)
- Patient Self-Management (1)
- Policy (4)
- Practice Patterns (1)
- Pregnancy (1)
- Prevention (1)
- Primary Care (6)
- Primary Care: Models of Care (2)
- Provider (5)
- Provider: Clinician (1)
- Provider: Health Personnel (1)
- Provider: Physician (5)
- Provider Performance (1)
- Quality Improvement (4)
- Quality of Care (3)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (4)
- Screening (1)
- Shared Decision Making (14)
- Social Media (1)
- Stress (1)
- Substance Abuse (2)
- Surgery (3)
- TeamSTEPPS (1)
- Telehealth (2)
- Tools & Toolkits (1)
- Transitions of Care (1)
- Transplantation (1)
- Vaccination (1)
- Web-Based (2)
- Women (3)
- Young Adults (1)
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 25 of 71 Research Studies DisplayedBuchanan CL, Morris MA, Matlock D
Parental experience and understanding of parent-provider discussions of treatment for infants with ureteropelvic junction obstruction.
The objective of this study was to understand what families perceive as necessary information to guide decisionmaking in the treatment of children with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with parents of children with UPJO. Their findings were organized into three major themes: barriers to meaningful participation in decisionmaking, logistical aspects, and psychosocial aspects. They concluded that these results highlighted the importance of caregivers needing clear and accurate information to engage in meaningful discussions related to surgical decisionmaking regarding UPJO treatment. They recommended patient education and enhanced psychosocial support for more meaningful parental engagement in the surgical decisionmaking process.
AHRQ-funded; HS024597.
Citation: Buchanan CL, Morris MA, Matlock D .
Parental experience and understanding of parent-provider discussions of treatment for infants with ureteropelvic junction obstruction.
PEC Innov 2023 Dec; 2:100142. doi: 10.1016/j.pecinn.2023.100142..
Keywords: Newborns/Infants, Patient Experience, Shared Decision Making, Patient and Family Engagement, Clinician-Patient Communication
DiMeo A, Karlage A, Schoenherr K
Cultural brokering in pregnancy care: a critical review.
This study is a literature review of cultural brokering during pregnancy. The authors identified 33 articles in their literature search. They found that cultural brokering is not clearly defined in the current literature. Only a few articles provided information about language concordance between cultural brokers and patients or clinicians, with no articles describing the impact of cultural brokering on health outcomes. Cultural broker facilitating was described as providing information about language concordance between cultural brokers and patients or clinicians. Barriers included misunderstanding the responsibilities, difficulty maintaining personal boundaries, and limited availability and accessibility of cultural brokers. They propose cultural brokering as interactions that cover four key aims: (1) language support; (2) bridging cultural differences; (3) social support and advocacy; and (4) navigation of the healthcare system.
AHRQ-funded; HS026370.
Citation: DiMeo A, Karlage A, Schoenherr K .
Cultural brokering in pregnancy care: a critical review.
Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2023 Nov; 163(2):357-66. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.15063..
Keywords: Maternal Care, Women, Clinician-Patient Communication, Cultural Competence
Steitz BD, Padi-Adjirackor NA, Griffith KN
Impact of notification policy on patient-before-clinician review of immediately released test results.
The 21st Century Cures Act requires that test results be made available immediately upon request. Not all organizations send notifications when those results become available. The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of notification policies on rates of patient-before-clinician result review and patient-initiated messaging. The researchers implemented 2 policies, immediate notifications for all results, and notifications only to patients who opted in to the system. In the group with immediate notification of test results, the ratio of patient-before-clinician review rose 4-fold and the ratio of patients who sent messages increased 3%. After transition to opt-in notifications, patient-before-clinician review decreased 2.4% and patient-initiated messaging decreased 0.4%.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395.
Citation: Steitz BD, Padi-Adjirackor NA, Griffith KN .
Impact of notification policy on patient-before-clinician review of immediately released test results.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2023 Sep 25; 30(10):1707-10. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocad126..
Keywords: Policy, Clinician-Patient Communication
Hays RD, Walling AM, Sudore RL
Support for use of Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems communication items among seriously ill patients.
High-quality doctor-patient communication is essential for patients with serious illnesses. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS(®)) communication items among patients with serious illnesses. The study found that Eigenvalues and internal consistency reliability supported a 5-item communication scale. Item characteristic curves revealed a monotonic relationship of response options with the communication score. Item thresholds indicated that most patients reported positive patient experiences, and item slopes confirmed that all items were strongly related to the communication score. Reliability of the communication scale was higher for assessing patients with negative experiences of care than for the positive end of the spectrum. Communication was positively correlated with confidence in other's knowledge of ACP medical wishes, ACP engagement, and confidence in filling out ACP-related medical forms.
AHRQ-funded; HS029321.
Citation: Hays RD, Walling AM, Sudore RL .
Support for use of Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems communication items among seriously ill patients.
J Palliat Med 2023 Sep; 26(9):1234-39. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2022.0572..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Provider: Health Personnel
Rankine J, Kidd KM, Sequeira GM
Adolescent perspectives on the use of telemedicine for confidential health care: an exploratory mixed-methods study.
Gender-diverse youth (GDY) may benefit from telemedicine access but may have unique confidentiality issues; this article examined adolescents' perceived acceptability, preferences, and self-efficacy related to the use of telemedicine for confidential care. Participants included GDY and cisgender females aged 12 to 17 who were surveyed following a telemedicine visit with an adolescent medicine subspecialist. Results indicated that adolescents were interested in using telemedicine for confidential care but recognized threats to confidentiality. The authors concluded that clinicians and health systems should consider youth's preferences and unique confidentiality needs to ensure equitable access, uptake, and outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS026393.
Citation: Rankine J, Kidd KM, Sequeira GM .
Adolescent perspectives on the use of telemedicine for confidential health care: an exploratory mixed-methods study.
J Adolesc Health 2023 Aug; 73(2):360-66. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.04.005..
Keywords: Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Cho Y, Yang R, Gong Y
Use of electronic communication with clinicians among cancer survivors: Health Information National Trend Survey in 2019 and 2020.
This study’s objective was to describe cancer survivors' use of electronic communication (e-communication) with clinicians and identify factors associated with their use, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors conducted a secondary analysis of cancer survivors (N = 1,482) from the combined Health Information National Trends Survey HINTS 5 Cycle 3 and Cycle 4. Survivors' use of e-communication was defined by at least one of four e-communication use behaviors in the previous 12 months. Cancer survivors had a 64% prevalence of e-communication use, with older adults (≥65 years old) were less likely to use e-communication. Survivors who were white, living in a metro area, diagnosed with breast cancer, seeking cancer-related information previously, or having a regular health care provider were more likely to use e-communication. The start of the COVID-19 pandemic was marginally associated with the increased e-communication use when other variables were controlled.
AHRQ-funded; HS027846.
Citation: Cho Y, Yang R, Gong Y .
Use of electronic communication with clinicians among cancer survivors: Health Information National Trend Survey in 2019 and 2020.
Telemed J E Health 2023 Jun; 29(6):866-74. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2022.0203..
Keywords: Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Cancer, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Alexandre W, Muhammad H, Agbalajobi O
Alcohol treatment discussions and clinical outcomes among patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between medical dialogues concerning alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment, AUD treatment engagement, and mortality rates. The retrospective cohort study encompassed all patients diagnosed with cirrhosis and AUD receiving hepatology care within a single healthcare system in 2015. Baseline data on demographics, medical history, liver disease, and AUD treatment were examined. Information on AUD treatment discussions, initiation, alcohol cessation, and the subsequent 5-year mortality rates was gathered. Out of 436 patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis, 15% received AUD treatment at baseline, with 11% undergoing behavioral therapy, 2% receiving pharmacotherapy, and 1% obtaining both. Within the first year after the initial hepatology visit, 37 patients had AUD treatment, 51 remained in treatment, and 14 discontinued. Hepatology-documented AUD treatment recommendations were provided to 30% of patients, while 26% received primary care-documented recommendations. The majority of hepatology (86%) and primary care (88%) recommendations focused on behavioral therapy. Among patients with persistent alcohol use at baseline, AUD treatment after one year was significantly and independently associated with hepatology or primary care treatment discussions, and negatively associated with Medicaid insurance. When treatment discussions occurred in both settings, high treatment rates followed. Over five years, 35% of patients died. Ongoing alcohol use, age, hepatic decompensation, and hepatocellular carcinoma significantly contributed to mortality in the final survival model. In patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis, AUD treatment discussions were documented in fewer than half of hepatology and primary care encounters; however, such discussions were significantly correlated with AUD treatment receipt.
AHRQ-funded; HS019461.
Citation: Alexandre W, Muhammad H, Agbalajobi O .
Alcohol treatment discussions and clinical outcomes among patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis.
BMC Gastroenterol 2023 Feb 2; 23(1):29. doi: 10.1186/s12876-023-02656-z..
Keywords: Alcohol Use, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Hsueh L, Huang J, Millman AK
Cross-sectional association of patient language and patient-provider language concordance with video telemedicine use among patients with limited English proficiency.
The surge in telemedicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic underscores the need to address gaps in patient care, particularly for individuals with limited English proficiency. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between patient language, patient-provider language alignment, and the type of telemedicine visit (video or phone consultation). The researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis using automated data from primary care telemedicine appointments scheduled between March 16, 2020, and October 31, 2020 within a comprehensive healthcare delivery system in Northern California. A total of 22,427 completed primary care telemedicine visits booked by 13,764 patients with limited English proficiency through the patient portal. The study examined the cross-sectional link between electronic health record-documented patient language (with Spanish as the reference) and patient-provider language concordance, considering patient demographics, technology access, and technology familiarity. RESULTS: The study found that among all scheduled appointments, 34.5% (n=7747) were video consultations. The three most common patient languages were Spanish (42.4%), Cantonese (16.9%), and Mandarin (10.3%). After adjusting for demographic and technology factors, video visit usage was higher for patients speaking Cantonese, Mandarin, or Vietnamese, compared to Spanish-speaking patients, but lower for those who spoke Punjabi. Language concordance was linked to decreased video visit utilization and influenced the relationship between speaking Spanish, Cantonese, and Korean with video visit usage. Furthermore, for all language groups, patients with prior video visit experience were more likely to use video visits again.
AHRQ-funded; HS025189
Citation: Hsueh L, Huang J, Millman AK .
Cross-sectional association of patient language and patient-provider language concordance with video telemedicine use among patients with limited English proficiency.
J Gen Intern Med 2023 Feb;38(3):633-40. doi: 10.1007/s11606-022-07887-6.
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Cultural Competence, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Healthcare Delivery, COVID-19
Kim KM, Giannitrapani KF, Garcia A
Patient characteristics associated with occurrence of preoperative goals-of-care conversations.
This study’s goal was to evaluate the association between patient risk of hospitalization or death and goals-of-care conversations documented with a completed Life-Sustaining Treatment (LST) Decisions Initiative note among veterans undergoing surgery. This retrospective cross-sectional study included 190,040 veterans who underwent operations between January 2017 and February 2020. The main outcome looked at was preoperative LST note completion (30 days before or on the day of surgery) or no LST note completion within the 30-day preoperative period prior to or on the day of the index operation. Of 190,040 veterans (90.8% men), 3.8% completed an LST note before surgery, and 96.2% did not complete an LST note. In the groups with and without LST note completion before surgery, most were aged between 65 and 84 years, male, and Whites. Compared with patients who completed an LST, patients who did not tended to be female, married, Black, and in better health; to have a lower risk of hospitalization or death; or to undergo neurosurgical or urologic surgical procedures. Over the 3-year study interval, unadjusted rates of LST note completion before surgery increased from 0.1% to 9.6%. High-risk surgery was not associated with increased LST note completion before surgery. Veterans who underwent cardiothoracic surgery had the highest likelihood of LST note completion before surgery.
AHRQ-funded; F32 HS028747.
Citation: Kim KM, Giannitrapani KF, Garcia A .
Patient characteristics associated with occurrence of preoperative goals-of-care conversations.
JAMA Netw Open 2023 Feb;6(2):e2255407. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.55407.
Keywords: Surgery, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Zisman-Ilani Y, Thompson KD, Siegel LS
Crohn's disease shared decision making intervention leads to more patients choosing combination therapy: a cluster randomised controlled trial.
The purpose of this multi-site cluster randomised controlled trial was to test the impact of standard Crohn's disease care and compare with the impact of shared decision making (SDM) on the provider’s choice of therapy, quality of decisions, and provider trust. A total of 158 adult patients with Crohn's disease within 15 years of their diagnosis, with no prior Crohn's disease complications, and who were candidates to receive immunomodulators or biologics, from 14 diverse gastroenterology practices in the US, participated in the study. 99 of those participants received the intervention and 59 received standard care. The study found that participants in the intervention group chose combination therapy more frequently, had a significantly lower decisional conflict, and had greater trust in their provider.
AHRQ-funded; HS021747.
Citation: Zisman-Ilani Y, Thompson KD, Siegel LS .
Crohn's disease shared decision making intervention leads to more patients choosing combination therapy: a cluster randomised controlled trial.
Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2023 Jan;57(2):205-14. doi: 10.1111/apt.17286..
Keywords: Digestive Disease and Health, Chronic Conditions, Shared Decision Making, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Clinician-Patient Communication
Quigley DD, Elliott MN, Slaughter ME
Follow-up shadow coaching improves primary care provider-patient interactions and maintains improvements when conducted regularly: a spline model analysis.
The purpose of this study was to explore whether a second shadow coaching session (re-coaching) improves the patient experience and maintains it over time. The researchers observed a statistically significant increase of 3.7 points among re-coached providers after re-coaching on overall provider rating (OPR) and 3.5 points on provider communication (PC) (differences of 1, 3, and 5 points or more are considered small, medium, and large, respectively). Improvements from the re-coaching endured for 12 months for OPR and 8 months for PC.
AHRQ-funded; HS025920.
Citation: Quigley DD, Elliott MN, Slaughter ME .
Follow-up shadow coaching improves primary care provider-patient interactions and maintains improvements when conducted regularly: a spline model analysis.
J Gen Intern Med 2023 Jan; 38(1):221-27. doi: 10.1007/s11606-022-07881-y..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Primary Care, Clinician-Patient Communication, Patient Experience, Provider Performance
Rao BR, Jung EH, Dickert NW
Getting cost discussions right: nudging patients to avoid cognitive pitfalls.
The purpose of this article was to discuss the challenges of high out-of-pocket medication costs and their negative impact on healthcare, patient behavior, and access to quality care. The authors report that integrating cost information into medical decisions can be a useful tool for improving patient outcomes, but there are several cognitive biases that can skew patients' decisions in different directions. The article emphasizes the need for using nudge strategies as a focused counterweight to address out-of-pocket costs and other complex medical decisions. The authors explain that nudges involving manipulations in framing and choice architecture can be harnessed to impact decisions in a predictable way without restricting options or changing economic incentives. The article suggests several nudge strategies that clinicians can employ to help patients make better decisions and avoid cognitive pitfalls in shared decision-making discussions related to out-of-pocket costs.
AHRQ-funded; HS028558.
Citation: Rao BR, Jung EH, Dickert NW .
Getting cost discussions right: nudging patients to avoid cognitive pitfalls.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2023 Jan; 16(1):e009447. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009447..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Shared Decision Making, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Kelly MM, Hoonakker PLT, Nacht CL
Parent perspectives on sharing pediatric hospitalization clinical notes.
This qualitative study sought to identify parent perceptions of the benefits and challenges of real-time note access during their child's hospitalization and strategies to optimize note-sharing at the bedside. The study conducted 60-minute interviews with 28 parents who were given access to their child's admission and daily progress notes on a bedside tablet (iPad) and interviewed upon discharge. The parents described 6 benefits of having note access, which: provided a recap and improved their knowledge about their child's care plan, enhanced communication, facilitated empowerment, increased autonomy, and incited positive emotions. Potential challenges described included: causing confusion, hindering communication with the health care team, highlighting problems with note content, and inciting negative emotions. The parents recommended 4 strategies to support sharing: provide preemptive communication about expectations, optimize the note release process, consider parent-friendly note template modifications, and offer informational resources for parents.
AHRQ-funded; HS027214.
Citation: Kelly MM, Hoonakker PLT, Nacht CL .
Parent perspectives on sharing pediatric hospitalization clinical notes.
Pediatrics 2023 Jan; 151(1). doi: 10.1542/peds.2022-057756..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Hospitals, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Hospitalization
Chan B, Lyles C, Kaplan C
A comparison of electronic patient-portal use among patients with resident and attending primary care providers.
In this study, the authors investigated differences in overall and patterns of portal use for patients with resident and attending primary care providers (PCPs). They concluded that given the lower patient-portal use among residents' patients, residency programs should develop curricula to bolster trainee competence in using the patient-portal for communication and to enhance the patient-physician relationship.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981; HS022408.
Citation: Chan B, Lyles C, Kaplan C .
A comparison of electronic patient-portal use among patients with resident and attending primary care providers.
J Gen Intern Med 2018 Dec;33(12):2085-91. doi: 10.1007/s11606-018-4637-x..
Keywords: Clinician-Patient Communication, Education: Continuing Medical Education, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Primary Care, Provider, Provider: Physician
McCarthy DM, Curtis LM, Courtney DM
A multifaceted intervention to improve patient knowledge and safe use of opioids: results of the ED EMC(2) randomized controlled trial.
Despite increased focus on opioid prescribing, little is known about the influence of prescription opioid medication information given to patients in the emergency department (ED). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an Electronic Medication Complete Communication (EMC(2)) Opioid Strategy on patients' safe use of opioids and knowledge about opioids. The study found that the EMC(2) tools improved demonstrated safe dosing, but these benefits did not translate into actual use based on medication dairies. The text-messaging intervention did result in improved patient knowledge.
AHRQ-funded; HS023459.
Citation: McCarthy DM, Curtis LM, Courtney DM .
A multifaceted intervention to improve patient knowledge and safe use of opioids: results of the ED EMC(2) randomized controlled trial.
Acad Emerg Med 2019 Dec;26(12):1311-25. doi: 10.1111/acem.13860..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Medication: Safety, Patient Safety, Health Literacy, Education: Patient and Caregiver, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Schoenfeld EM, Probst MA, Quigley
Does shared decision making actually occur in the emergency department? Looking at it from the patients' perspective.
In this study the investigators sought to assess the frequency, content, and quality of shared decision making (SDM) in the emergency department (ED), from patients' perspectives. The investigators found that fewer than half of ED patients surveyed reported they were involved in SDM. The most common decision for which SDM was used was around ED disposition (admission vs. discharge). When SDM was employed, patients generally rated the discussion highly.
AHRQ-funded; HS025701.
Citation: Schoenfeld EM, Probst MA, Quigley .
Does shared decision making actually occur in the emergency department? Looking at it from the patients' perspective.
Acad Emerg Med 2019 Dec;26(12):1369-78. doi: 10.1111/acem.13850..
Keywords: Shared Decision Making, Emergency Department, Clinician-Patient Communication, Patient and Family Engagement
Ancker JS, Sharko M, Hong M
Should parents see their teen's medical record? Asking about the effect on adolescent-doctor communication changes attitudes.
Parents routinely access young children's medical records, but medical societies strongly recommend confidential care during adolescence, and most medical centers restrict parental records access during the teen years. In this study, the investigators sought to assess public opinion about adolescent medical privacy. The investigators concluded that although medical societies recommend confidential care for adolescents, public opinion was largely in favor of parental access.
AHRQ-funded; HS021531.
Citation: Ancker JS, Sharko M, Hong M .
Should parents see their teen's medical record? Asking about the effect on adolescent-doctor communication changes attitudes.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2018 Dec;25(12):1593-99. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocy120..
Keywords: Caregiving, Children/Adolescents, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Policy
Gaufberg E, Olmsted MW, Bell SK
Third things as inspiration and artifact: a multi-stakeholder qualitative approach to understand patient and family emotions after harmful events.
The authors discuss an AHRQ conference held to establish a research agenda on patient and family emotional harm after medical errors. Topics include implications for quality and safety, educational innovation, and qualitative research.
AHRQ-funded; HS024463.
Citation: Gaufberg E, Olmsted MW, Bell SK .
Third things as inspiration and artifact: a multi-stakeholder qualitative approach to understand patient and family emotions after harmful events.
J Med Humanit 2019 Dec;40(4):489-504. doi: 10.1007/s10912-019-09563-z..
Keywords: Medical Errors, Adverse Events, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Patient and Family Engagement, Patient Safety
Meyer AND, Giardina TD, Khanna A
Pediatric clinician perspectives on communicating diagnostic uncertainty.
This study examined how pediatric clinicians discussed diagnostic uncertainty with their patients’ parents. A sample study was conducted at two large academic medical institutions in Texas. Twenty pediatric clinicians participated. Some clinicians felt more comfortable expressing diagnostic uncertainty to parents who were more educated. The strength of the parent-clinician relationship also changed how clinicians communicated with parents.
AHRQ-funded; HS022087; HS023602
Citation: Meyer AND, Giardina TD, Khanna A .
Pediatric clinician perspectives on communicating diagnostic uncertainty.
Int J Qual Health Care 2019 Nov 30;31(9):G107-G12. doi: 10.1093/intqhc/mzz061..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Caregiving, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Khan A, Yin HS, Brach C
AHRQ Author: Brach C
Association between parent comfort with English and adverse events among hospitalized children.
The purpose of this study was to examine the association between parents’ limited comfort with English (LCE) and adverse events in a cohort of hospitalized children. Participants included Arabic-, Chinese-, English-, and Spanish-speaking parents of patients 17 years and younger in the pediatric units of seven North American hospitals. Findings showed that hospitalized children of parents expressing LCE were twice as likely to experience harms due to medical care. Targeted strategies are needed to improve communication and safety for this vulnerable group of children.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; HS022986.
Citation: Khan A, Yin HS, Brach C .
Association between parent comfort with English and adverse events among hospitalized children.
JAMA Pediatr 2020 Dec;174(12):e203215. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.3215..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Caregiving, Cultural Competence, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Inpatient Care, Hospitalization
Anderson AC, Akre E, Chen J
Exploring national trends of patient- and family-centered care among US children.
This study examined national trends in the receipt of high-quality patient-physician communication and patient empowerment through behavioral health counseling among children in the United States. They used Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data from 2010 to 2014. Two measures of patient- and family-centered care (PFCC) were analyzed: 1) a composite measure of high-quality patient-physician communication, and 2) patient empowerment through behavioral health counseling about healthy eating and exercise. There were high rates of receiving high-quality physician-patient communication (92-93%) as opposed to behavioral counseling about healthy eating (53-60%) and exercise (37-42%). There was a higher rate of high-quality physician-patient communication in 2014 than in 2010, but there was not a similar increase in receiving behavioral health counseling. Lower odds of receiving behavioral health counseling were found for parents with low income and low educational attainment as well as lack of insurance.
AHRQ-funded; HS022135.
Citation: Anderson AC, Akre E, Chen J .
Exploring national trends of patient- and family-centered care among US children.
J Child Health Care 2019 Jun;23(2):200-12. doi: 10.1177/1367493518786015..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Children/Adolescents, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Patient and Family Engagement, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Family Health and History, Lifestyle Changes
Senft N, Butler E, Everson J
Growing disparities in patient-provider messaging: trend analysis before and after supportive policy.
This study examined trends in eHealth disparities before and after the introduction of US federal financial incentives. The investigators compared rates of patient-provider messaging, which was directly incentivized, with rates of looking for health information on the Web, which was not directly incentivized. The investigators concluded that disparities in provider messaging widened over time, particularly following federal financial incentives.
AHRQ-funded; HS26395; HS26122.
Citation: Senft N, Butler E, Everson J .
Growing disparities in patient-provider messaging: trend analysis before and after supportive policy.
J Med Internet Res 2019 Oct 7;21(10):e14976. doi: 10.2196/14976..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Disparities, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Policy
Anandaiah AM, Stevens JP, Sullivan AM
Implementation of a bundled consent process in the ICU: a single-center experience.
This study examined perceptions of internal medicine residents in the ICU of an urban academic medical center about using a bundled consent process with patients and their families. The bundled consent provides consent for all commonly performed procedures on a single form. It has been advocated as an efficient method, but there is little published literature about its use. Out of 164 internal residents surveyed, 102 completed the survey. The majority (78%) felt it scared or stressed families, and only 26% felt confident that they would obtain valid informed consent.
AHRQ-funded; HS024288.
Citation: Anandaiah AM, Stevens JP, Sullivan AM .
Implementation of a bundled consent process in the ICU: a single-center experience.
Crit Care Med 2019 Oct;47(10):1332-36. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000003905..
Keywords: Implementation, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Hospitals, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Choe AY, Unaka NI, Schondelmeyer AC
Inpatient communication barriers and drivers when caring for limited english proficiency children.
The authors identified barriers to and drivers of effective interpreter service use when caring for hospitalized limited English proficiency (LEP) children from the perspectives of pediatric medical providers and interpreters. Using Group Level Assessment, they found that participants identified unique barriers and drivers that impact communication with LEP patients and their families during hospitalization. They suggested that future directions include exploring the perspective of LEP families and utilizing team-based and family-centered communication strategies to standardize and improve communication practices.
AHRQ-funded; HS025138.
Citation: Choe AY, Unaka NI, Schondelmeyer AC .
Inpatient communication barriers and drivers when caring for limited english proficiency children.
J Hosp Med 2019 Oct;14(10):607-13. doi: 10.12788/jhm.3240..
Keywords: Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Cultural Competence, Children/Adolescents, Inpatient Care, Patient and Family Engagement, Caregiving
Ike B, Baldwin LM, Sutton S
Staff and clinician work-life perceptions after implementing systems-based improvements to opioid management.
The authors assessed the impact of implementing the Six Building Blocks on the work-life of primary care providers and staff. Six rural and rural-serving primary care organizations implemented the Six Building Blocks, with assistance from practice facilitators, clinical experts, and informatics specialists. The authors found that clinicians and staff reported improvement in their work-life after implementing the Six Building Blocks Program to improve opioid medication management and recommended further research on patient experiences specific to practice redesign programs.
AHRQ-funded; HS023750.
Citation: Ike B, Baldwin LM, Sutton S .
Staff and clinician work-life perceptions after implementing systems-based improvements to opioid management.
J Am Board Fam Med 2019 Sep-Oct;32(5):715-23. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2019.05.190027.
.
.
Keywords: Opioids, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Primary Care: Models of Care, Primary Care, Care Management, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Quality Improvement, Medication, Provider, Clinician-Patient Communication