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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 15 of 15 Research Studies DisplayedFranklin PD, Bond CP, Rothrock NE
Strategies for effective implementation of patient-reported outcome measures in arthroplasty practice.
This study’s goal was to synthesize patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) implementation strategies that are successfully used by hundreds of arthroplasty surgeons and early PROM-adopter clinical systems. The authors developed guidelines to inform clinical care, drive quality-improvement activities, and support reporting for payer-sponsored incentives. They also outlined future research that is needed to define methods for optimal patient engagement, technology infrastructure, and operational systems to seamlessly integrate PROM collection in clinical care.
AHRQ-funded; HS018910.
Citation: Franklin PD, Bond CP, Rothrock NE .
Strategies for effective implementation of patient-reported outcome measures in arthroplasty practice.
J Bone Joint Surg Am 2021 Dec 15;103(24):e97. doi: 10.2106/jbjs.20.02072..
Keywords: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Orthopedics, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Implementation, Outcomes
Delaney LD, Howard R, Palazzolo K
Outcomes of a presurgical optimization program for elective hernia repairs among high-risk patients.
The authors evaluated the feasibility of evidence-based patient optimization before surgery by implementing a low-cost preoperative optimization clinic. They found that a hernia optimization clinic safely improved management of high-risk patients and increased operative yield for the institution. They concluded that their results represented an opportunity to create sustainable and scalable models that provide longitudinal care and optimize patients to improve outcomes of hernia repair.
AHRQ-funded; HS025778.
Citation: Delaney LD, Howard R, Palazzolo K .
Outcomes of a presurgical optimization program for elective hernia repairs among high-risk patients.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Nov;4(11):e2130016. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.30016..
Keywords: Surgery, Risk, Evidence-Based Practice, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Outcomes
Cardell CF, Knapp L, Cohen ME
Successful implementation of enhanced recovery in elective colorectal surgery is variable and dependent on the local environment.
This study looked at the results of a national colorectal enhanced recovery program (ERP) to improve patient outcomes. A total of 207 hospitals participated between 2017 and 2020. Quantitative (patient-level process and outcome) and qualitative (survey and structured interviews with hospital teams) data were collected and analyzed. Results shows that 62 hospitals were characterized as High Performance, and 52 as High Improvement. High Performance hospitals were larger with more annual colorectal surgeries. Fewer barriers to staff-buy-in and competing priorities, and more experience with standardized perioperative care were also characteristics of High Performance hospitals. High Improvement hospitals had lower baseline process measure (PM) adherence and less experience with perioperative care but had positive trends in annual patient outcomes such as annual morbidity, readmission, and prolonged length of stay compared to Low Improvement Hospitals.
AHRQ-funded; 233201500020I.
Citation: Cardell CF, Knapp L, Cohen ME .
Successful implementation of enhanced recovery in elective colorectal surgery is variable and dependent on the local environment.
Ann Surg 2021 Oct 1;274(4):605-12. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000005069..
Keywords: Surgery, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Provider Performance
Cohen DJ, Sweeney SM, Miller WL
Improving smoking and blood pressure outcomes: the interplay between operational changes and local context.
This study identified conditions and operational changes linked to improvements in smoking and blood pressure (BP) outcomes in primary care using samples and interviews from a subset of 104 practices participating in EvidenceNOW, a multisite cardiovascular disease prevention initiative. The authors calculated Clinical Quality Measure improvements, with targets of 10-point or greater absolute improvements in the proportion of patients with smoking screening, and if relevant, counseling and the proportion of hypertensive patients with adequately controlled BP. Primary care staff were surveyed and interviewed. In clinician-owned practices, implementing a workflow to routinely screen and counsel patients on smoking cessation resources, or implementing a documentation change or a referral to a resource alone led to an improvement of at least 10 points in the smoking outcome. These improvements did not occur though in health- or hospital system-owned practices or in Federally Qualified Health Centers. BP outcome improved by at least 10 points among solo practices after medical assistants learned how to take an accurate BP. Among larger, clinician-owned practices, BP outcomes improvement took place when staff took a second BP measurement after the first measurement was elevated and when staff learned where to document this information in the electronic health record. For larger and health- and hospital system-owned practices, 50 or more hours of facilitation was needed to improve BP outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS023940.
Citation: Cohen DJ, Sweeney SM, Miller WL .
Improving smoking and blood pressure outcomes: the interplay between operational changes and local context.
Ann Fam Med 2021 May-Jun;19(3):240-48. doi: 10.1370/afm.2668..
Keywords: Blood Pressure, Tobacco Use, Primary Care, Quality Improvement, Cardiovascular Conditions, Quality of Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Prevention, Outcomes
Paul R, Niedner M, Brilli R
Metric development for the multicenter Improving Pediatric Sepsis Outcomes (IPSO) Collaborative.
A 56 US hospital collaborative, Improving Pediatric Sepsis Outcomes (IPSO), has developed variables, metrics and a data analysis plan to track quality improvement (QI)-based patient outcomes over time. Improving Pediatric Sepsis Outcomes expands on previous pediatric sepsis QI efforts by improving electronic data capture and uniformity across sites. This paper describes the metric development for the multicenter IPSO Collaborative.
AHRQ-funded; HS025696.
Citation: Paul R, Niedner M, Brilli R .
Metric development for the multicenter Improving Pediatric Sepsis Outcomes (IPSO) Collaborative.
Pediatrics 2021 May;147(5):e2020017889. doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-017889..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Sepsis, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice
Meyers DJ, Trivedi AN, Wilson IB, DJ, Trivedi AN, Wilson IB
Higher Medicare Advantage Star Ratings are associated with improvements In patient outcomes.
Researchers examined CMS' five-star rating system for the overall quality of Medicare Advantage (MA) contracts. They found that enrollees experiencing a one-star MA rating increase were 20.8 percent less likely to leave their plan voluntarily to enroll in another plan or traditional Medicare. When hospitalized, enrollees were 3.4 percent more likely to use a higher-quality hospital and 2.6 percent less likely to be readmitted within ninety days. These findings suggest that MA star ratings may capture key domains of an MA plan's quality.
AHRQ-funded; HS027051.
Citation: Meyers DJ, Trivedi AN, Wilson IB, DJ, Trivedi AN, Wilson IB .
Higher Medicare Advantage Star Ratings are associated with improvements In patient outcomes.
Health Aff 2021 Feb;40(2):243-50. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00845..
Keywords: Patient Experience, Provider Performance, Medicare, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Outcomes
Larsen GY, Brilli R, Macias CG
Development of a quality improvement learning collaborative to improve pediatric sepsis outcomes.
Researchers developed a multicenter quality improvement learning collaborative of US children's hospitals. They created a key driver diagram (KDD) with the aim of reducing both the sepsis-attributable mortality and the incidence of hospital-onset sepsis in children. The KDD primary drivers focused on improving the following: treatment of infection; recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of sepsis; de-escalation of unnecessary care; engagement of patients and families; and methods to optimize performance. The Children's Hospital Association Improving Pediatric Sepsis Outcomes collaborative aims to improve sepsis outcomes through collaborative learning and reliable implementation of evidence-based interventions.
AHRQ-funded; HS025696.
Citation: Larsen GY, Brilli R, Macias CG .
Development of a quality improvement learning collaborative to improve pediatric sepsis outcomes.
Pediatrics 2021 Jan;147(1). doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-1434..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Sepsis, Outcomes, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Education: Continuing Medical Education
Brajcich BC, Bentrem DJ, Yang AD
Short-term risk of performing concurrent procedures with hepatic artery infusion pump placement.
This study’s objective was to characterize the short-term outcomes of concurrent surgery with hepatic artery infusion pump (HAIP) placement using data from the 2005-2017 ACS NSQIP dataset. Findings showed that HAIP placement is not associated with additional morbidity when performed with hepatic and/or colorectal surgery. Decisions regarding HAIP placement should consider the risks of concurrent operations as well as patient- and disease-specific factors.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Brajcich BC, Bentrem DJ, Yang AD .
Short-term risk of performing concurrent procedures with hepatic artery infusion pump placement.
Ann Surg Oncol 2020 Dec;27(13):5098-106. doi: 10.1245/s10434-020-08938-0..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Surgery, Risk, Cancer, Outcomes
Leeds IL, Jones C, DiBrito SR
Delay in emergency hernia surgery is associated with worse outcomes.
The purpose of this study was to determine if the variation in timing of urgent surgery impacts surgical outcomes. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was searched for emergent surgeries in 2011-2016 for abdominal hernia resulting in obstruction or gangrene by primary post-op diagnosis. Findings showed that delayed surgery was associated with increased rates of major complications, longer operative times, longer postoperative lengths of stay, increased re-operations, increased readmissions, and increased 30-day mortality. Next-day surgery and surgery delayed more than one day were associated with increased odds of a major complication.
AHRQ-funded; HS024547.
Citation: Leeds IL, Jones C, DiBrito SR .
Delay in emergency hernia surgery is associated with worse outcomes.
Surg Endosc 2020 Oct;34(10):4562-73. doi: 10.1007/s00464-019-07245-4..
Keywords: Surgery, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Critical Care, Access to Care, Digestive Disease and Health, Outcomes
Kaiser SV, Johnson MD, Walls TA
Pathways to improve pediatric asthma care: a multisite, national study of emergency department asthma pathway implementation.
This quality improvement study’s aim was to determine the effects of pediatric asthma pathway implementation in a diverse, national sample of emergency departments (EDs). Desired outcomes included systemic corticosteroid administration within 60 minutes (primary), assessment of severity at ED triage, chest radiograph use, hospital admission or transfer for higher level of care, and ED length of stay. Charts were reviewed each month by EDs for children ages 2-17 years with a primary diagnosis of asthma. A total of 83 EDs were enrolled, with 37 of them children’s hospitals, and 46 community hospitals. Seventy-three percent completed the study (n = 22,963). There was a significant increase in systematic corticosteroid administration within 60 minutes of arrival as well as increased odds of severity assessment at triage and decreased rate of change in odds of hospital admission/transfer. Chest radiograph or ED length of stay was not associated with pathway implementation.
AHRQ-funded; HS024592.
Citation: Kaiser SV, Johnson MD, Walls TA .
Pathways to improve pediatric asthma care: a multisite, national study of emergency department asthma pathway implementation.
J Pediatr 2020 Aug;223:100-07.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.02.080..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Asthma, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Care Management, Healthcare Delivery, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice, Outcomes
Shappell CN, Klompas M, Rhee C
Surveillance strategies for tracking sepsis incidence and outcomes.
Sepsis is a leading cause of death and the target of intense efforts to improve recognition, management and outcomes. Accurate sepsis surveillance is essential to properly interpreting the impact of quality improvement initiatives, making meaningful comparisons across hospitals and geographic regions, and guiding future research and resource investments. In this review, the investigators discuss the advantages and limitations of different sepsis surveillance strategies and consider future directions.
AHRQ-funded; HS025008.
Citation: Shappell CN, Klompas M, Rhee C .
Surveillance strategies for tracking sepsis incidence and outcomes.
J Infect Dis 2020 Jul 21;222(Suppl 2):S74-s83. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa102..
Keywords: Sepsis, Outcomes, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Colton K, Richards CT, Pruitt PB
Early stroke recognition and time-based emergency care performance metrics for intracerebral hemorrhage.
This study compared time for early stroke recognition for intracerebral hemorrhage for hospitals with and without stroke teams. An observational cohort study was conducted at an urban comprehensive stroke center from 2009 to 2017 with 204 cases included. Stroke team activation resulted in faster emergency care compared to no activation. This process resulted in shorter onset-to-arrival times, higher NIH Stroke Scale scores, and higher Glasgow Coma Scale scores.
AHRQ-funded; HS023437.
Citation: Colton K, Richards CT, Pruitt PB .
Early stroke recognition and time-based emergency care performance metrics for intracerebral hemorrhage.
J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2020 Feb;29(2):104552. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2019.104552..
Keywords: Stroke, Emergency Department, Provider Performance, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Quality Improvement, Quality Indicators (QIs), Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Quality of Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Hospitals
Shah RK, Stey AM, Jantana KR
Identification of opportunities for quality improvement and outcome measurement in pediatric otolaryngology.
This study evaluated perioperative outcomes in pediatric otolaryngology through analysis of records residing in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database. It found that although the overall rate of major postoperative morbidity in pediatric otolaryngology is low, the following areas may be targeted for targeted quality-improvement interventions: tracheostomy, airway reconstruction, mastoidectomy, and abscess drainage.
AHRQ-funded; HS022932
Citation: Shah RK, Stey AM, Jantana KR .
Identification of opportunities for quality improvement and outcome measurement in pediatric otolaryngology.
JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014 Nov;140(11):1019-26. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2014.2067..
Keywords: Surgery, Children/Adolescents, Quality Improvement, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Maggard-Gibbons M
The use of report cards and outcome measurements to improve the safety of surgical care: the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.
This review summarized the history of American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project and its components, and described the evidence that feeding outcomes back to providers, along with real-time comparisons with other hospital rates, leads to quality improvement, better patient outcomes, cost savings and overall improved patient safety.
AHRQ-funded; 2902007100621.
Citation: Maggard-Gibbons M .
The use of report cards and outcome measurements to improve the safety of surgical care: the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.
BMJ Qual Saf 2014 Jul;23(7):589-99. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2013-002223..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality Measures, Quality of Care, Surgery, Patient Safety, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Provider Performance
Dahlke AR, Chung JW, Holl JL
Evaluation of initial participation in public reporting of American College of Surgeons NSQIP surgical outcomes on Medicare's Hospital Compare website.
The objective of this paper was to compare CMS-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (CMS-NSQIP) participating hospitals with American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) hospitals that elected not to participate in Hospital Compare. The researchers found few measurable differences between CMS-NSQIP participating and nonparticipating hospitals.
AHRQ-funded; HS021857.
Citation: Dahlke AR, Chung JW, Holl JL .
Evaluation of initial participation in public reporting of American College of Surgeons NSQIP surgical outcomes on Medicare's Hospital Compare website.
J Am Coll Surg 2014 Mar;218(3):374-80, 80.e1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2013.11.022.
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Keywords: Hospitals, Outcomes, Public Reporting, Quality Improvement, Surgery