National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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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 50 Research Studies DisplayedCohen GR, Jones DJ, Heeringa J
AHRQ Author: Furukawa MF, Miller D
Leveraging diverse data sources to identify and describe U.S. health care delivery systems.
Health care delivery systems are a growing presence in the U.S., yet research is hindered by the lack of universally agreed-upon criteria to denote formal systems. This study assesses available data sources to identify and describe systems, including system members and relationships among the members.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Cohen GR, Jones DJ, Heeringa J .
Leveraging diverse data sources to identify and describe U.S. health care delivery systems.
eGEMS 2017 Dec 15;5(3):9. doi: 10.5334/egems.200..
Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Data, Health Services Research (HSR), System Design
Kushniruk A, Senathirajah Y, Borycki E
Effective usability engineering in healthcare: a vision of usable and safer healthcare IT.
This paper presents a vision for deploying usability engineering in healthcare in a more substantive way to improve the current situation.
AHRQ-funded; HS023708.
Citation: Kushniruk A, Senathirajah Y, Borycki E .
Effective usability engineering in healthcare: a vision of usable and safer healthcare IT.
Stud Health Technol Inform 2017;245:1066-69..
Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Health Information Technology (HIT), Health Information Technology (HIT), Patient Safety, System Design
Catchpole K, Neyens DM, Abernathy J
Framework for direct observation of performance and safety in healthcare.
This viewpoint paper discusses non-participant direct observation of healthcare processes as a rich method for understanding safety and performance improvement. The authors suggest that as a prospective method for error prediction and modelling, observation can capture a broad range of performance issues that can be related to higher aspects of the system.
AHRQ-funded; HS024380.
Citation: Catchpole K, Neyens DM, Abernathy J .
Framework for direct observation of performance and safety in healthcare.
BMJ Qual Saf 2017 Dec;26(12):1015-21. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2016-006407..
Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Patient Safety, Provider Performance, Quality Improvement
Khandelwal N, Curtis JR, Freedman VA
How often is end-of-life care in the United States inconsistent with patients' goals of care?
The purpose of this study was to document the proportion of bereaved respondents who reported care inconsistent with patients' wishes and characterize the predictors of end-of-life care associated with inconsistent care. The study found that one in eight respondents stated care in the last months of life was inconsistent with patients' wishes; such care was associated with worse ratings of care, pain management, and communication with clinicians.
AHRQ-funded; HS022982.
Citation: Khandelwal N, Curtis JR, Freedman VA .
How often is end-of-life care in the United States inconsistent with patients' goals of care?
J Palliat Med 2017 Dec;20(12):1400-04. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2017.0065..
Keywords: Care Management, Healthcare Delivery, Elderly, Palliative Care, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Quality of Care
Adrion ER, Kocher KE, Nallamothu BK
Rising use of observation care among the commercially insured may lead to total and out-of-pocket cost savings.
Using multipayer commercial claims for the period 2009-13, the investigators evaluated utilization and spending among patients admitted for six conditions that are commonly managed with either observation care or short-stay hospitalizations. In their study period, the use of observation care increased relative to that of short-stay hospitalizations. In addition, total and out-of-pocket spending were substantially lower for observation care, though both grew rapidly--and at rates much higher than spending in the inpatient setting--over the study period.
AHRQ-funded; HS000053.
Citation: Adrion ER, Kocher KE, Nallamothu BK .
Rising use of observation care among the commercially insured may lead to total and out-of-pocket cost savings.
Health Aff 2017 Dec;36(12):2102-09. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2017.0774..
Keywords: Health Insurance, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Delivery, Healthcare Utilization, Hospitalization, Hospitals, Medicare
Zachrison KS, Hayden EM, Schwamm LH
Characterizing New England emergency departments by telemedicine use.
The primary objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of telemedicine use in New England EDs and the clinical applications of use. It concluded that telemedicine is commonly used in New England EDs. In 2014, use was more common among rural EDs and EDs with limited neurology consultant availability. In contrast, telemedicine use was less common among very low-volume EDs.
AHRQ-funded; HS024561.
Citation: Zachrison KS, Hayden EM, Schwamm LH .
Characterizing New England emergency departments by telemedicine use.
West J Emerg Med 2017 Oct;18(6):1055-60. doi: 10.5811/westjem.2017.8.34880.
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Keywords: Emergency Department, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Healthcare Delivery, Health Services Research (HSR), Telehealth
Ray KN, Ashcraft LE, Mehrotra A
Family perspectives on telemedicine for pediatric subspecialty care.
The researchers sought to understand how subspecialty telemedicine is perceived and to identify design elements with the potential to improve telemedicine uptake and impact. They found that although informants saw the potential value of using telemedicine to replace in-person subspecialty visits, they were more enthusiastic about using telemedicine to complement rather than replace in-person visits.
AHRQ-funded; HS022989.
Citation: Ray KN, Ashcraft LE, Mehrotra A .
Family perspectives on telemedicine for pediatric subspecialty care.
Telemed J E Health 2017 Oct;23(10):852-62. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2016.0236.
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Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Healthcare Delivery, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Children/Adolescents, Telehealth
Liang L, Brach C
AHRQ Author: Liang L, Brach C
Health literacy universal precautions are still a distant dream: analysis of U.S. data on health literate practices.
This study sought to examine whether there has been an increase in the delivery of health literate care and whether recommendations for health literacy universal precautions are being followed. It found that the proportion of adults in the U.S. who reported receiving health literate care increased from 2011 to 2014, but fell far short of health literacy universal precautions recommendations of delivering health literate care to everyone.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Liang L, Brach C .
Health literacy universal precautions are still a distant dream: analysis of U.S. data on health literate practices.
Health Lit Res Pract 2017 Oct;1(4):e216-e30. doi: 10.3928/24748307-20170929-01.
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Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Health Literacy, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Clinician-Patient Communication
Davis CM, Guo M, Miyamura J
Key factors in obstetric delivery decision-making among Asian and Pacific Islander women by English proficiency.
Understanding (1) how expectant mothers gather information to decide where to give birth, and (2) who helps make that decision, provides critical health communication and decision-making insights. This survey found that the top three health decision-makers for both those Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) with limited English proficiency and English-proficient AAPIs were themselves, their obstetrician, and their spouse, which did not differ significantly by language proficiency.
AHRQ-funded; HS021903.
Citation: Davis CM, Guo M, Miyamura J .
Key factors in obstetric delivery decision-making among Asian and Pacific Islander women by English proficiency.
Hawaii J Med Public Health 2017 Oct;76(10):279-86.
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Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Cultural Competence, Decision Making, Pregnancy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Lieberthal RD, Payton C, Sarfaty M
Measuring the cost of the patient-centered medical home: a cost-accounting approach.
To explore the cost for individual practices to become more patient-centered, this study inventoried and calculated costly activities involved in implementing the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) as defined by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
AHRQ-funded; HS022630.
Citation: Lieberthal RD, Payton C, Sarfaty M .
Measuring the cost of the patient-centered medical home: a cost-accounting approach.
J Ambul Care Manage 2017 Oct/Dec;40(4):327-38. doi: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000196..
Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Healthcare Costs, Patient-Centered Healthcare
Kamal AH
Redesigning oncology care delivery: Early wins, lessons learned, and a roadmap.
This editorial, discusses oncology care delivery and comments on an article by Colligan, et al., published, in 2017, in Medical Care, entitled “Two innovative cancer care programs have potential to reduce utilization and spending.”
AHRQ-funded; HS023681.
Citation: Kamal AH .
Redesigning oncology care delivery: Early wins, lessons learned, and a roadmap.
Med Care 2017 Oct;55(10):871-72. doi: 10.1097/mlr.00000000000.
Keywords: Cancer, Healthcare Delivery, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Cottrell EK, Hall JD, Kautz G
Reporting from the front lines: implementing Oregon's alternative payment methodology in federally qualified health centers.
Alternative payment models have been proposed as a way to facilitate patient-centered medical home model implementation, yet little is known about how payment reform translates into changes in care delivery. This study conducted site visits, observed operations, and conducted interviews within 3 Federally Qualified Health Center organizations. They identified several care delivery changes during the early stages of implementation, as well as challenges associated with this new model of payment.
AHRQ-funded; HS022651.
Citation: Cottrell EK, Hall JD, Kautz G .
Reporting from the front lines: implementing Oregon's alternative payment methodology in federally qualified health centers.
J Ambul Care Manage 2017 Oct/Dec;40(4):339-46. doi: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000198..
Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Payment, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Policy, Primary Care
Xue Y, Goodwin JS, Adhikari D
Trends in primary care provision to Medicare beneficiaries by physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants: 2008-2014.
This study documented the temporal trends in alternative primary care models in which physicians, nurse practitioners (NPs), or physician assistants (PAs) engaged in care provision to the elderly, and examined the role of these models in serving elders with multiple chronic conditions. It found a decrease in the physician model and an increase in the shared care model and NP/PA model from 2008 to 2014.
AHRQ-funded; HS020642; HS022134.
Citation: Xue Y, Goodwin JS, Adhikari D .
Trends in primary care provision to Medicare beneficiaries by physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants: 2008-2014.
J Prim Care Community Health 2017 Oct;8(4):256-63. doi: 10.1177/2150131917736634.
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Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Elderly, Healthcare Delivery, Primary Care, Medicare
Boehme AK, Carr BG, Kasner SE
Sex differences in rt-PA utilization at hospitals treating stroke: the National Inpatient Sample.
The researchers sought to explore sex and race differences in the utilization of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) at primary stroke centers (PSCs) compared to non-PSCs across the US. They found that women are less likely to receive rt-PA than men at both PSCs and non-PSCs. Absolute treatment rates are lowest in black women.
AHRQ-funded; HS17960; HS018362; HS013852.
Citation: Boehme AK, Carr BG, Kasner SE .
Sex differences in rt-PA utilization at hospitals treating stroke: the National Inpatient Sample.
Front Neurol 2017 Sep 27;8:500. Original Research. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00500.
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Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Sex Factors, Stroke
Aarons GA, Sklar M, Mustanski B
"Scaling-out" evidence-based interventions to new populations or new health care delivery systems.
This paper introduces a new concept for implementation called "scaling-out" when evidence-based interventions are adapted either to new populations or new delivery systems, or both. Using existing external validity theories and multilevel mediation modeling, the authors provide a logical framework for determining what new empirical evidence is required for an intervention to retain its evidence-based standard in this new context.
AHRQ-funded; HS024192.
Citation: Aarons GA, Sklar M, Mustanski B .
"Scaling-out" evidence-based interventions to new populations or new health care delivery systems.
Implement Sci 2017 Sep 6;12(1):111. doi: 10.1186/s13012-017-0640-6..
Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Evidence-Based Practice, Health Services Research (HSR)
Parker MW, Carroll M, Bolser B
Implementation of a communication bundle for high-risk patients.
This study occurs in a large pediatric hospital with a history of success in decreasing unrecognized deterioration, in which patients at higher risk of deterioration are termed "watchers." Because communication errors often contribute to unrecognized deterioration, clear and timely communication of watcher status to all team members and contingency planning was desired. The researchers sought to increase the percentage of eligible watchers with a complete communication, teamwork, and planning bundle within 2 hours of identification from 28% to 80%.
AHRQ-funded; HS023827.
Citation: Parker MW, Carroll M, Bolser B .
Implementation of a communication bundle for high-risk patients.
Hosp Pediatr 2017 Sep;7(9):523-29. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2016-0170..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Communication, Healthcare Delivery, Hospitals, Inpatient Care
Bachmann JM, Klint ZW, Jagoda AM
Group enrollment and open gym format decreases cardiac rehabilitation wait times.
Researchers hypothesized that changing from individually scheduled appointments to a group enrollment and open gym format, in which patients were enrolled during group intake sessions and could arrive for subsequent cardiac rehabilitation (CR) sessions any time during open gym periods, would decrease wait times. They found that implementation of a group enrollment and open gym format was associated with a significant decrease in wait times for first CR sessions.
AHRQ-funded; HS022990.
Citation: Bachmann JM, Klint ZW, Jagoda AM .
Group enrollment and open gym format decreases cardiac rehabilitation wait times.
J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev 2017 Sep;37(5):322-28. doi: 10.1097/hcr.0000000000000255.
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Keywords: Rehabilitation, Cardiovascular Conditions, Healthcare Delivery
Balaban RB, Zhang F, Vialle-Valentin CE
Impact of a patient navigator program on hospital-based and outpatient utilization over 180 days in a safety-net health system.
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a care transition program using patient navigators (PNs) on health service utilization among high-risk safety-net patients over a 180-day period. The investigators concluded that a PN program serving high-risk safety-net patients differentially impacted patients based on age, and among younger patients, outcomes varied over time. The investigators suggest that their findings highlight the importance for future research to evaluate care transition programs among different subpopulations and over longer time peri
AHRQ-funded; HS020628.
Citation: Balaban RB, Zhang F, Vialle-Valentin CE .
Impact of a patient navigator program on hospital-based and outpatient utilization over 180 days in a safety-net health system.
J Gen Intern Med 2017 Sep;32(9):981-89. doi: 10.1007/s11606-017-4074-2..
Keywords: Care Management, Healthcare Delivery, Healthcare Utilization, Hospital Readmissions, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Transitions of Care
Spertus JA, Ghaferi AA
Transforming the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to the delivery of precision medicine to improve the value of surgical care: Summary of the John R. Clarke keynote address for the Surgical Outcomes Club 2016 Annual Meeting.
The authors challenged the audience to begin thinking about implementing precision medicine in routine care. They argue that the profession of medicine is undergoing an unprecedented transformation from fee-for-service to value-based reimbursement. This offers an opportunity to rethink current practice patterns and redesign health care delivery to improve patients’ experiences and outcomes while lowering costs. The surgical community has a unique opportunity to embrace this challenge and develop tools to better tailor treatment to risk.
AHRQ-funded; HS023621.
Citation: Spertus JA, Ghaferi AA .
Transforming the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to the delivery of precision medicine to improve the value of surgical care: Summary of the John R. Clarke keynote address for the Surgical Outcomes Club 2016 Annual Meeting.
JAMA Surg 2017 Sep;152(9):815-16. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2017.1610.
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Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Quality of Care, Patient Safety, Quality Improvement, Surgery
Ahluwalia SC, Damberg CL, Silverman M
What defines a high-performing health care delivery system: a systematic review.
A systematic review was conducted to determine if there is a commonly used, agreed-on definition of what constitutes a "high-performing" health care delivery system. No consistent definition of a high-performing health care system or organization was identified. High performance was variably defined across different dimensions, including quality (93 percent of articles), cost (67 percent), access (35 percent), equity (26 percent), patient experience (21 percent), and patient safety (18 percent).
AHRQ-funded; HS024067.
Citation: Ahluwalia SC, Damberg CL, Silverman M .
What defines a high-performing health care delivery system: a systematic review.
Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2017 Sep;43(9):450-59. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2017.03.010.
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Keywords: Healthcare Delivery, Quality of Care, Policy, Quality Measures
Singal AG, Tiro J, Li X
Hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance among patients with cirrhosis in a population-based integrated health care delivery system.
This study characterized guideline-concordant hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance rates and patient-level factors associated with surveillance among a population-based cohort of patients with cirrhosis. It concluded that, although one third of patients undergo inconsistent HCC surveillance, less than 2 percent of patients receive guideline-concordant biannual HCC surveillance.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Singal AG, Tiro J, Li X .
Hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance among patients with cirrhosis in a population-based integrated health care delivery system.
J Clin Gastroenterol 2017 Aug;51(7):650-55. doi: 10.1097/mcg.0000000000000708.
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Keywords: Cancer, Guidelines, Healthcare Delivery, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Practice Patterns
McClintock HF, Bogner HR
Incorporating patients' social determinants of health into hypertension and depression care: a pilot randomized controlled trial.
The objective of this study was to carry out a randomized controlled pilot trial to test the effectiveness of an integrated intervention for hypertension and depression incorporating patients' social determinants of health (enhanced intervention) versus an integrated intervention alone (basic intervention). The pilot trial results indicate integrated care management that addresses the social determinants of health for patients with hypertension and depression may be effective.
AHRQ-funded; HS023445.
Citation: McClintock HF, Bogner HR .
Incorporating patients' social determinants of health into hypertension and depression care: a pilot randomized controlled trial.
Community Ment Health J 2017 Aug;53(6):703-10. doi: 10.1007/s10597-017-0131-x.
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Keywords: Depression, Behavioral Health, Blood Pressure, Social Determinants of Health, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Healthcare Delivery
Metz TD, Gonzalez C, Allshouse AA
Influence of patient-level factors on mode of delivery among operative vaginal delivery candidates in modern practice.
This study aimed to evaluate which patient-level factors influence mode of delivery among candidates for operative vaginal delivery. Odds of forceps versus vacuum were higher with induction, nulliparity, epidural, maternal indication, older maternal age, and longer second stage. Odds of cesarean versus operative vaginal delivery were higher with maternal indication, a perinatologist, longer second stage, older gestational age and longer labor.
AHRQ-funded; HS022143.
Citation: Metz TD, Gonzalez C, Allshouse AA .
Influence of patient-level factors on mode of delivery among operative vaginal delivery candidates in modern practice.
Am J Perinatol 2017 Aug;34(10):974-81. doi: 10.1055/s-0037-1601441.
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Keywords: Adverse Events, Healthcare Delivery, Labor and Delivery, Pregnancy, Women
Bailey SR, Heintzman JD, Marino M
Smoking-cessation assistance: before and after stage 1 meaningful use implementation.
This study examined whether smoking status assessment, cessation assistance, and odds of being a current smoker changed after Stage 1 Meaningful Use (MU) implementation. Its findings suggest that incentives for MU of electronic health records increase the odds of smoking assessment and cessation assistance, which could lead to decreased smoking rates among vulnerable populations.
AHRQ-funded; HS021522.
Citation: Bailey SR, Heintzman JD, Marino M .
Smoking-cessation assistance: before and after stage 1 meaningful use implementation.
Am J Prev Med 2017 Aug;53(2):192-200. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2017.02.006.
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Keywords: Behavioral Health, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery, Primary Care, Tobacco Use
Ray KN, Martsolf GR, Mehrotra A
Trends in visits to specialist physicians involving nurse practitioners and physician assistants, 2001 to 2013.
The purpose of this study is to examine trends in specialist physician visits where nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) provide care, based on the hypothesis that NPs and PAs provide care to patients of specialist physicians in increasing numbers, primarily for routine follow-up visits. Using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) information on samples office visits, researchers identified visits to specialist physicians, divided these into surgical and medical specialists and examined unadjusted trends from 2001 - 2013 in the percentage of visits with NP or PA involvement. Visit characteristics associated with higher likelihood of NP or PA involvement were examined.
AHRQ-funded; HS022989.
Citation: Ray KN, Martsolf GR, Mehrotra A .
Trends in visits to specialist physicians involving nurse practitioners and physician assistants, 2001 to 2013.
JAMA Intern Med 2017 Aug;177(8):1213-16. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.1630..
Keywords: Access to Care, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Healthcare Delivery, Primary Care, Provider